Gautam Gambhir, India’s 2007 T20 World Cup, and 2011 World Cup winner, praised Rahul Dravid’s coaching stint with the Men in Blue, but he also criticised captain Rohit Sharma for stating that the team had wanted to win the World Cup 2023 for Dravid ahead of the final against Australia.
India lost the final to Australia in Ahmedabad on November 19 by 6 wickets, ending their dominating run in the World Cup 2023 in a heartbreak.
With this, Rahul Dravid’s two-year tenure as India's head coach also ended without an ICC trophy for the team. India lost in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022, and in the finals of the World Test Championship in 2023 and the 2023 World Cup.
However, India is currently No.1 in the ICC rankings of all three formats. And Gambhir said Dravid's contract should definitely be renewed if he wants to continue.
"Dravid's contract as head coach should be automatically renewed. The kind of cricket that India played throughout the World Cup, if you are going to judge a coach by just one match then it is a wrong precedent," he said on Sportskeeda.
On the eve of the final against Australia, Rohit said that the team wanted to win the trophy for head coach Dravid for the kind of efforts he has put in for the betterment of the players.
"The way he stood by the players in difficult times, especially during the T20 World Cup, where we had a good run up until that semifinal, where we lost. How he reacted to certain situations and informed the players was helpful. He wants to be part of this big occasion, and it's for us to do it for him," the Indian captain had said.
However, Gautam Gambhir stated that Rohit shouldn't have made such a statement to the media. He further gave the example of the ICC World Cup 2011, when many Indian players openly said that they wanted to win the World Cup for Sachin Tendulkar.
"Every player, every coach wants to win the World Cup. If he wants a renewal then definitely, he should be given that chance. What better than continuity? I would never understand one thing. It happened during our time in 2011 too. When you say that you want to win the World Cup for an individual, doesn't matter who that is... this statement is not right.
You are trying to win the World Cup for the entire country. And if you want to say such a thing, don't say it in the media. Keep it within yourself. The truth is, it is more important to win a World Cup for the nation. I was asked the same in 2011 when everyone said we were trying to win the World Cup for one individual, I said no I want to win the Cup for my country. I picked up the bat for my country. So, Rohit probably shouldn't have said this,” Gambhir added.
Gambhir, however, repeated that he thinks Dravid should remain the head coach and build a formidable side for the next T20 and ODI World Cups.
"But as far as Dravid's coaching credentials are concerned, he should be definitely given an extension if he wants to continue. I', very happy with his tenure. And not just for a year but at least two years because India will enter a rebuilding phase soon. You might not see Rohit Sharma, Bumrah, and Shami in the next World Cup. So it's important to build towards the 50 over World Cup," he added.
(Sportskeeda inputs)
