New Delhi: India will take on Afghanistan in their first Super 8 match in Barbados. While the entire spotlight has been on the batting failures of Virat Kohli and the bowling masterclass of Bumrah, a nasty event has turned the camera towards Dravid.
Rahul Dravid who took charge of India in 2021 has been one of India’s brightest talent that the country has produced. During his playing days, Dravid and Laxman were one of the mainstays of a solid batting lineup which provided solidity in the middle order.
A Historical Day for India in Test 🇮🇳
20/6/1996 – Sourav Ganguly & Rahul Dravid Made their Test Debut
20/6/2011 – Virat Kohli Made his Test Debut pic.twitter.com/uzJPJEdb6G
— 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒃𝒂𝒔 (@Shebas_10dulkar) June 20, 2024
However, Dravid has a very lacklustre performance in Barbados. In the pre-match conference, a journalist was found reminding the former Indian batsman about the nightmare in Barbados. Although Dravid managed to dodge the question initially, the 51-year-old former Indian batsman was visibly irked towards the journalist.
What was the controversy?
In the pre-match conference of the India vs Afghanistan game, a journalist was continuously asking Dravid some rather fuzzy questions. The match that the journalist was referring to was the 97 test.
In Rahul Dravid’s retirement tour of England, I loved every bit of him batting❤️
Rahul Dravid was India’s lone warrior in 2011 tour of England where he scored 461 runs @ avg of 76.83.
He took retirement from International Cricket at his peak unlike other legends of India. pic.twitter.com/cFePNU0twO
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) June 19, 2024
The actual interview went as:
Reporter: Rahul, you as a player, you have played here. Not the best memories of the 97 Test?
Dravid: Geez, thanks a lot buddy! I have had some other decent memories here as well.
Reporter: That is actually my question. A chance for you to probably make new and much better memories tomorrow?
Dravid: God man! I am not trying to make new anything man!
3 of India’s batting stalwarts – Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli started their careers on the same date – June 20. Iconic! #INDvsAFG pic.twitter.com/QUdZ1A7OFQ
— Cricketism (@MidnightMusinng) June 20, 2024
Rahul Dravid went to Barbados in the 1997 Test Series as India was touring West Indies. In the match, Dravid scored 78 and 2 in both the innings. Eventually, Dravid had to watch from the sidelines as his team succumbed to a 38-run defeat against the Windies.
However, the important point to note is the 51-year-old is not concerned about the bygone era. His mission right now is to see his boys lift the coveted trophy.