India scripted history by defeating Australia in the Test match at the Gabba and retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy. It was a special and memorable win for so many reasons. One of them being the younger generation of Indian cricket who stepped up and took India to the finishing line, defeating the hosts where they hadn’t lost in 32 years.
These players emerged as the new heroes after India’s historic win. To name them – Shubman Gill, Mohammed Siraj, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini and T Natarajan – most of whom have been mentored by Rahul Dravid at the Under-19 level.
Post-retirement, Dravid took over as head coach of National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and groomed the India Under-19 and India A teams from 2016 to 2019.
Soon after India lifted the Border-Gavaskar trophy at the Gabba, yesterday, fans wasted no time in thanking the legend for his mentorship to the younger generation.
In an office at the NCA in Bangalore, Rahul Dravid must be watching and feeling proud of the India A and India U19 programs he’s developed, which gave India their depth.
— Snehal Pradhan (@SnehalPradhan) January 19, 2021
Then, he’ll quietly get back to work planning the next series.
He is NOT on Twitter but #RahulDravid is the man behind the rise of all these players at National Cricket Academy and India `A’ : Gill, Shardul, Sundar, Siraj, Saini, Pant…Let us hail Dravid the astute cricket mind even as we celebrate the feat Down Under🙏🙏🙏🙏
— Vijay Lokapally (@vijaylokapally) January 19, 2021
Real man of the series – Rahul Dravid. Building such a great bench strength through India A. Moulded in his personality – grit, resilience and immense self belief!!
— Mandar Dandekar (@MandarDandekar) January 19, 2021
“Because he’s not our hero. He’s a silent guardian, a watchful protector. A dark knight”
— Priyangshu Gogoi (@PriyangshuG) January 19, 2021
Congratulations India. #AUSvsIND #RahulDravid pic.twitter.com/k56tYtJw91
If India is still able to put out a reasonable team, we should applaud the ‘A’ tours over the last 3-4 years. Without them, the gap between fc and international cricket would have been very tough to bridge. Quiet thanks to Rahul Dravid too for the finishing school he has been.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 15, 2021
Well done @Sundarwashi5 Rahul Dravid told me in Bangladesh during U19 WC that he was the man to watch with bat.. was speaking of temperament .. and Sunda showing it now .. he was 16 then . Congratulations 👏
— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) January 17, 2021
Can we take a moment to thank Rahul Dravid for all that he’s doing for Indian Cricket? The resilience that the youngsters have shown had shades of The Wall. #AUSvIND #AUSvsIND #AUSvINDtest #dravid
— Dr. Smriti (@dentist_chick) January 19, 2021
We just cannot forget what Rahul Dravid has done with our younger players. We’re wondering how can they be so resilient in their 1st or 2nd matches! Let’s not forget they’ve been trained & mentored by Dravid. Who’s still serving Indian cricket like none other! 🇮🇳🏏 https://t.co/sz5RPfPQF9
— Sohini (@Mittermaniac) January 17, 2021
Another special day to thank the dynamic and enduring mentorship given to India youngsters by the great #RahulDravid. What a man! #INDvsAUS
— Siddharth (@Actor_Siddharth) January 17, 2021
#RahulDravid Thank you for the next gen of Sportsmen… if this is how they have started the world better watch out… their foundation is damn strong laid by the Master himself #TeamIndia https://t.co/aBDIJTsM33
— Aakanksha N (@AakankshaN1) January 19, 2021
#RahulDravid The Timeless Steel ❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/LuPy9Zpevx
— Pooja (@Only_4_SSR) January 19, 2021
True that.
— Pramod N Uniyal (@pramodN28) January 20, 2021
If someone ever tells you that one person can’t make a difference, just tell them about what Dravid has been quietly doing to Indian cricket.#RahulDravid #AUSvsIND #IndiaWins https://t.co/MlI4YN9t6r
Admired by peers and appreciated by fans, Rahul Dravid’s legacy continues to live on through the cricketers he’s mentored. Rightly called ‘The Wall’, he’s still someone Indian cricket can depend on.
