The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team recently clinched the T20 World Cup 2024 title by defeating South Africa in the final in Barbados. It was a big achievement for the Men in Blue as they remained unbeaten throughout the competition to end their 11-year-long ICC trophy drought.
Days after the triumph, the BCCI announced a staggering cash reward of Rs 125 crore for the Indian cricket team.
It was later revealed that the prize money will be distributed among the Indian cricketers, coaches, support staff, and members of the senior selection committee. The major portion of the reward was supposed to be shared among the players and head coach Rahul Dravid.
However, Dravid has reportedly refused to take the additional Rs 2.5 crore that the BCCI was awarding him. The outgoing head coach was happy to take an equal share of prize bonus as the rest of his support staff.
“Rahul wanted the same bonus money (₹2.5 crore) as the rest of his support staff (bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, fielding coach T Dilip and batting coach Vikram Rathore). We respect his sentiments,” Hindustan Times quoted a BCCI source as saying.
As per the distribution formula devised by the board, Dravid and the 15 players of the main squad including the ones who did not play a single match were to get Rs 5 crore each.
Other members of the coaching staff - Vikram Rathour (batting coach), Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach) and T Dilip (fielding coach) are getting Rs 2.5 crore each. The Ajit Agarkar-led five-member senior selection committee will receive Rs 1 crore each.
It was not the first time that Rahul Dravid did something like this. After India won the U-19 World Cup in 2018 under his coaching, it was decided that Dravid would get Rs 50 lakh while the other members of the support staff would get Rs 20 lakh each and the players Rs 30 lakh each.
But Dravid had reservations regarding the same as he wanted the BCCI to award everyone equally. Consequently, a revised list of cash awards (Rs 25 lakhs) to every member of the coaching staff, including Dravid was made.
The T20 World Cup triumph marked the end of Rahul Dravid’s association with the Indian senior men’s cricket team as head coach.
On Tuesday (July 9), the BCCI appointed former opener Gautam Gambhir as the new head coach. Gambhir will begin his stint with the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka later this month.
