India are set to play their first series under new head coach Gautam Gambhir as they face Sri Lanka on Saturday. This marks the start of a new era for India in multiple ways, particularly in the shortest format of the game. Captain Rohit Sharma, talisman Virat Kohli and star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja all retired from the format after India won the 2024 T20 World Cup last month and they thus gave Rahul Dravid the perfect sendoff as India's head coach.

Gambhir himself acknowledged that he is taking over a very successful team that, under Dravid, finished runners-up in the World Test Championship and the World Cup in 2023 and won the T20 World Cup this year. The twin disappointments in 2023, particularly in the World Cup where home favourites India were seemingly unstoppable until they were beaten comprehensively by Australia in the final, coupled with the fact that India came from a seemingly unwinnable situation in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, resulted in an explosion of emotion from the Indian players on the field in Barbados. Almost every Indian player on the field were in tears at some point or the other and the usually unflappable Dravid could be seen celebrating as spiritedly as any of the younger players in the squad.

Ravichandran Ashwin, who became the second Indian after Anil Kumble to cross 500 Test wickets under Dravid, said that the former India captain picking up the trophy and screaming in celebration was the big moment from that day for him. “My moment was when Virat Kohli called Rahul Dravid and gave the cup... I saw him hug the cup and cry. Rahul Dravid screamed and cried. I saw him enjoy it. I felt that a lot,” said Ashwin on his Youtube channel.

‘Sacred’ Rahul Dravid was working even when sitting at home

Ashwin paid tribute to Dravid's work ethic, recalling the fact that he was among those who were panned after India's forgettable performance in the 2007 World Cup. Dravid was captain at the time as India crashed out of the group stage. "I want to talk about a person who is sacred. 2007, 50-over World Cup. India gets knocked out. Rahul Dravid, the captain at that point in time. He does not captain the one-day side after that. He has been with the Indian team. If something does not go well, if the Indian team goes out, if they lose a match, immediately, they ask what Dravid is doing.

"I know what he has been doing with this team for the past two-three years. I know how balanced he has been. I know how hard he has worked to change this approach. I know what he has given each of his players. Even when he is just sitting at home, he has been planning how to do this and that," Ashwin concluded.

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