So, the tenure of head coach Rahul Dravid with the Indian cricket team is certainly going to be studied closely for its blend of elegance and subtlety in modern cricket coaching. Even 'The Wall' showed his emotional side when an 11-year title drought came to an end.
Finally, as he held the trophy—the one handed over to him by the player of the match, Virat Kohli—Dravid let out a roar, letting out all those pent-up emotions that in more normal times he keeps well hidden from public view. It was an un-Dravid-like eruption for someone who rarely made headline-grabbing statements but remained steadfast in his duties—the Gary Kirsten of the loyalists.
It was an almost low-key approach from Dravid, which did not camouflage their issues built up in almost three years at the helm of affairs of the world's most scrutinized cricket team. Even before he had been officially appointed as the head coach, Dravid was under the scanner, as 'Next One' during a brief white-ball series against Sri Lanka in mid-2021, which was something of an informal audition before he took over the reins in November 2021.
From the outset, Dravid had the unenviable task of matching up to his predecessor Ravi Shastri's good record with the team—in all, India under Shastri registered a few significant wins that included back-to-back series victories in Australia. Never having coached in Australia himself, Dravid turned around to win against the Antipodeans at home. But a defeat and a drawn Test series against a 'weaker' South African side still rankles him, as he has a premium on away victories.
But Dravid has not only routine coaching challenges to take care of but also some unique pressures that come with the Indian cricket culture. He manages a dressing room full of superstars, familiar terrain for a man from his playing days, and knows how minor discord can be blown out of proportion, as seen during Anil Kumble's exit. He had this knack for understanding people and situations, which helped Dravid immensely in implementing his methods without really disturbing the system that created a harmonious environment with captain Rohit Sharma for players to thrive.
One such influence was personified through Mohammed Siraj. Who started off under Shastri, blossoming into an all-format bowler under Dravid. But it wasn't a fairy tale journey without obstacles - the big three batters, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, and Cheteshwar Pujara were in decline. Kohli's recovery somewhat eased Dravid's task, but Rahane and Pujara's struggles in the World Test Championship final hastened their exit, which, thanks to Dravid's years of experience from developmental tours, was a delicate transition handled deftly.
It was soon realized the magnitude of his role as Dravid handed Shreyas Iyer his Test debut against New Zealand. Shreyas Iyer came good with a century in response. Barring players like Iyer and Ishan Kishan, whom controversy caught up a little later, his broader strategy seemed sound. In ODIs, he worked on a deeper pool of young talent ; that way, he could groom players like Shubman Gill, Kishan, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Siraj, and Suryakumar Yadav. These players, quite needless to say, justified the faith of Dravid, winning India an Asia Cup victory on Sri Lankan soil; in this regard, Gill and Siraj stood outstanding.
If the loss in the World Cup on home turf to Australia still hurts Dravid, then the T20 World Cup win in Barbados did ease it to quite an extent. His success often came out of the box from a conventional path, showing his flexibility in the shorter format.
Therefore, his coaching legacy will be defined by the win of the World Cup, but more so by the deft management of an intensely high-profile team. His successor will inherit a daunting team environment, yet so well handled.
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