“Rahul Dravid is always looking to put cricketers in a positive frame of mind” – Irfan Pathan recalls an incident after India’s 2007 World Cup exit
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Irfan Pathan and Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid is undoubtedly one of the most regarded cricketers in the international arena of all time. Famous for his grit, determination and humble behaviour, Dravid took the national side to another level during his active years.
Recently, he was announced as the coach of the senior men’s team for the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has leapt massive praises for the 48-year-old.
In a recent interaction with Star Sports, Pathan recalled an incident from the ICC 2007 Cricket World Cup where Rahul Dravid was the captain of the side. Though India faced a shocking early exit from the tournament, the skipper tried to boost the morale of team India. The cricketer-turned-commentator revealed that Dravid took him and MS Dhoni for a movie to relieve their moods.
“I remember a very small incident from the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. He (Dravid) came to me and Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He said, ‘Look, we are all upset. Let’s go to a movie. We went to watch the movie and then he said, ‘look, yes we lost the World Cup. We all wanted to make a big difference. But this is not the end of it. Life is much bigger. We will come back tomorrow’. That’s the kind of character he is. He is always looking to put cricketers in a positive frame of mind. So, if someone, unfortunately, goes out of form in Sri Lanka…if that happens, he will be the first one to guide him and give confidence,” Pathan stated.
“Rahul brings in is clear communication”
Irfan Pathan further mentioned that Rahul Dravid comes with clarity while heading any side. He highlighted that the former Karnataka cricketer creates an atmosphere in the dugout which allows the youngsters to approach him freely.
“What Rahul brings in is clear communication. Even when he was the leader of the Indian cricket team… At that time also, he was very clear with any youngster. If anyone had any kind of problem, they can go up to him and just talk about it freely,” he added.
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Sachin Arora
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