Rahul Dravid. (Source – Twitter/X)
For Rahul Dravid, the now-former head coach of the Indian cricket team, his final assignment couldn’t have been better. His swansong with the team became one of his most unforgettable experiences, culminating in India finally clinching ICC silverware after an 11-year drought. Post the win, numerous tributes and accolades poured in from team members and support staff, extolling his virtues and contributions. Congratulatory messages from erstwhile cricketers and dignitaries followed suit, making for the perfect farewell.
Upon returning from the Caribbean, Dravid and the team spent a morning session with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, followed by breakfast. They then departed for Mumbai to participate in a grand open-top bus parade and a monumental event was organized at Wankhede Stadium. A little more than a week after the historic triumph, ‘The Wall’ returned to Bengaluru, away from all the hoopla, finally getting a chance to breathe in the city where he was born and raised.
The 51-year-old was snapped visiting a cricket academy, situated approximately 30 km from Indiranagar, his place of residence. The person behind the camera captured the evergreen Dravid descending the white staircase into a lower ground area, where the academy’s coaches applauded and congratulated him. One of the coaches even presented him with a bouquet of flowers as a token of appreciation.
What ensued was a truly remarkable spectacle, with young academy students lined up on both sides of the pathway, holding their bats aloft in a reverent manner, creating a majestic reception fit for royalty. He graciously shook hands with several children, acknowledging their warmth with an ever-present, radiant smile. He also motioned to the modest assembly of parents as well as children to desist their commendations, thereby reaffirming his longstanding association with humility and grace.