Rahul Dravid Reflects on Indian Cricket's Legacy and Luck at CEAT Cricket Awards

Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid highlighted Travis Head's fortunate knock in last year's ICC World Cup final against India, stressing cricket's need for both skill and luck. Dravid also praised the current Indian players for upholding the legacy of past stars, celebrating victories across various formats.

Former Indian head coach and captain, Rahul Dravid, recently commented on Australian batter Travis Head's game-changing performance against India in the ICC Cricket World Cup final last year. Dravid spoke at the CEAT Cricket Awards, explaining how Head's counter-attacking play dashed India's hopes of winning the trophy on home soil. He emphasized that while cricket is predominantly a skill-based game, a bit of luck is sometimes essential. Dravid noted that despite the Indian bowlers beating Head's bat around 15 times, he never touched a single ball.

Addressing the awards ceremony, Dravid stated, "I remember we beat Travis Head's bat 15 times – he did not touch a single ball. Sometimes things go your way, but you have to stick to the process. Reflecting on this, I realized that sometimes, you need a bit of luck in addition to skill." Dravid also praised the current generation of Indian cricketers for maintaining the legacy of older stars by excelling across all formats and securing numerous achievements, including the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 and ICC Champions Trophy 2013.

The 26th edition of the CEAT Cricket Awards honored various cricketers and sports leaders for their exceptional performances. Phil Salt was named Men's T20I Batter of the Year, while Tim Southee was awarded Men's T20I Bowler of the Year. Shreyas Iyer received the Award for Outstanding Leadership for winning the IPL with Kolkata Knight Riders. Other notable honorees included Virat Kohli as Men's ODI Batter of the Year and Mohammad Shami as Men's ODI Bowler of the Year. Harmanpreet Kaur was recognized for Most Matches as a Captain in Women's T20I History, and several other players were celebrated for their contributions.

(With inputs from agencies.)