Team India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin lauded coach Rahul Dravid for downplaying the narrative of winning T20 World Cup 2024 for him. Ashwin took to his official account on X, claiming that the narrative for building up a particular fixture in a team sport is very appalling and Dravid for not hyping it.
With Dravid set to vacate the position of India's head coach, a hashtag of "DoitforDravid has been floating on the social media platform for X. However, the former Indian captain played it down while speaking to Star Sports:
"It's totally against I'm person and my values. I don’t really believe in this ‘Do it for somebody’. I love that quote about somebody asking somebody else, ‘Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?’ and he says ‘I want to climb Mount Everest because it’s there’. I want to win this World Cup because it's there. It's not for anyone."
Meanwhile, Ashwin took to X and wrote:
"Narratives of building it up for someone in a team sport is the worst thing that can happen for a healthy team environment. I know this man really well and despite being offered the narrative, he turns it down in a classy manner. Let’s fight once more."
"Players are very good at moving on from things" - Rahul Dravid
At the pre-game press conference, Rahul Dravid stated that the 2023 World Cup final defeat is no longer on their minds and that the players are seeing it as a fresh chance to prove themselves.
"I don't think players go in keeping the baggage of the past and what has happened in the past, so every day is a fresh day. Players are very good at moving on from things, of recognising things. So yes, I think just as we will move on from Ahmedabad, I'm sure they will not be thinking about history and it will be a fresh day. Two good teams, two teams I think that everyone will agree that probably the top two teams in this tournament played the best cricket I think in this tournament, both South Africa and India."
It's worth noting that Dravid's tenure as India's coach will end after the tournament.
