Team India head coach Rahul Dravid has stated that he hasn’t thought about what the future holds for him after the Men in Blue’s disappointing defeat in the 2023 World Cup final to Australia. The former India captain said his focus was completely on the World Cup, adding he will reflect on future plans when he gets the time.
India went down to Australia by six wickets in the 2023 World Cup final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, which also marked the completion of Dravid’s two-year contract with the Indian team.
After experiencing a heartbreaking defeat, the 50-year-old coach did not reveal his future plans regarding coaching. He kept his thoughts to himself, leaving everyone wondering about his next move.
“I haven’t thought about it. I’ve just come off a game. I had no time to think about this and no time to reflect on this. Yeah, I will when I get the time to do that,” he said at post-match press conference.
“At this point of time, I was completely focused on this campaign and there was nothing else on my mind. And I haven’t given any other thought to what happens in the future.”
Rahul Dravid
Dravid stated that he does not believe in evaluating himself when asked how he would reflect on his two-year term with the senior men’s Indian squad.
“To be honest, I am not really someone who’s going to judge and analyse myself. I was really proud to work with. I think the players that I worked with over the last two years in all the formats, it’s been a privilege.”
Rahul Dravid
Under Dravid’s coaching, Team India had achieved significant milestones in international cricket. They reached the final of the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) and made it to the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup. However, despite their remarkable performances, the team fell short of winning the coveted ICC crown.
“Not really thinking about 2027” – Rahul Dravid
The 2023 World Cup was anticipated as a golden chance for players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to win the prestigious trophy. However, fate had different plans.
When questioned about the missed chance for the prominent figures of Indian cricket to win a World Cup, considering their potential absence in 2027, Dravid responded:
“I’m not really thinking about 2027 and who’s going to be there and who’s not going to be there. There’s a lot of time for that. A lot of water will flow under the bridge before that. There’ll be a lot of time for that.”
Rahul Dravid
Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, is 36 years old, while Kohli turned 35 in November. Neither of them will be there when the Men in Blue compete in the ODI World Cup in 2027.