Rahul Dravid’s Heartfelt Message to New Coach Gautam Gambhir
As Team India gears up for a new era under head coach Gautam Gambhir, former coach Rahul Dravid shared a touching message for his successor. Dravid, who stepped down after a successful ICC T20 World Cup, praised Gambhir’s passion for cricket and offered advice for the challenges ahead.
India’s Tour of Sri Lanka
India’s tour of Sri Lanka begins with the first T20I on Saturday, featuring three T20Is and three ODIs. Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit Sharma will lead the teams in the short format and 50-overs, respectively. This marks Gambhir’s first assignment as head coach.
Dravid’s Message to Gambhir
In a video posted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Dravid expressed his hopes for Gambhir to have a successful tenure. He humorously wished Gambhir a squad of fully fit players, a luxury Dravid did not always have. Dravid emphasized the excitement and challenges of the head coach role, recalling his own memorable experiences.
Dravid highlighted Gambhir’s resilience and passion for winning, noting his dedication to working with younger players. He advised Gambhir to stay calm under pressure and to always remember the support of his team and fans.
Gambhir’s Response
Gambhir, moved by Dravid’s message, expressed his admiration for the former coach. He called Dravid the most selfless player he has worked with and emphasized the importance of Indian cricket over individual achievements. Gambhir vowed to lead with honesty and transparency, aiming to make the nation and Dravid proud.
Upcoming Matches
The Pallekele International Stadium will host the T20I series, while the R Premadasa Stadium will host the ODIs. Both teams will have new head coaches, with Sanath Jayasuriya leading the Sri Lankan side.
India’s Squads
| T20I Squad | ODI Squad |
|---|---|
| Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj | Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohd. Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana |
Doubts Revealed
Rahul Dravid -: Rahul Dravid is a famous former Indian cricketer and coach. He is known for his calm nature and excellent batting skills.
Gautam Gambhir -: Gautam Gambhir is a former Indian cricketer who played as an opening batsman. He is now taking over as the head coach of the Indian cricket team.
Head coach -: A head coach is the main person responsible for training and guiding a sports team.
Heartfelt message -: A heartfelt message is a sincere and emotional message that comes from the heart.
Tour of Sri Lanka -: A tour of Sri Lanka means that the Indian cricket team will travel to Sri Lanka to play matches against their cricket team.
T20Is -: T20Is stands for Twenty20 Internationals, which are short cricket matches that last about three hours.
ODIs -: ODIs stands for One Day Internationals, which are cricket matches that last about eight hours.
Suryakumar Yadav -: Suryakumar Yadav is an Indian cricketer known for his aggressive batting style.
Rohit Sharma -: Rohit Sharma is a famous Indian cricketer and captain known for his powerful batting and leadership skills.