Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid reflected on the biggest disappointment during his stint as India’s coach. Dravid admitted going down by 2-1 against South Africa in the three-match Test series was probably the lowest point in his tenure.
India comprehensively won the opening Test match against the Proteas at Centurion by 113 runs after KL Rahul scored a fine century. But the Rainbow Nation won the next two Test matches convincingly by seven wickets.
The visitors had their chances but they couldn’t grab their opportunities in the second and third Test match.
“If you ask me what is the lowest point, I would say the South Africa Test series early on in my career. We won the first Test match in South Africa in Centurion, and then we played in the second and third Test match. We have never won a series in South Africa, as you know,” the 51-year-old said in a video posted by ESPNCricinfo.
“It was a really big opportunity for us to win that series. Some of our senior players were not there. Rohit Sharma was injured, and we didn’t have some senior players in that series. But we were very close, and in both the Test matches—the second and the third test matches—in the third inning, we had a big opportunity. We could have set a decent score and won the game, but South Africa played well.
“So, I would say that was probably my lowest point in my coaching of not being able to win that series in spite of being ahead,” the India great added.
On the other hand, Dravid guided India to T20 World Cup glory as India defeated South Africa by seven runs. Furthermore, under Dravid’s tutelage, India also qualified for the semifinal of the T20 World Cup 2022, the final of the World Test Championship, and the final of the ODI World Cup 2023.
Dravid is reported to take over as Rajasthan Royals’ head coach in the IPL.
