Rahul Dravid indirectly helped India in beating Australia courtesy THESE 2 top stats

India defeated Australia by three wickets in a final hour thriller at The Gabba on Tuesday, January 19. Ravaged by injuries and missing their regular captain Virat Kohli, stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane guided a young batch of cricketers as India fielded as many as five debutants across four Tests. Despite India’s on-field brilliance, several fans and cricket experts have also credited former Indian captain Rahul Dravid for his contribution in shaping up the next-gen of Indian cricket through his coaching stints.

India vs Australia 4th Test 2021: Indian players celebrate 2-1 win over Australia

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Rahul Dravid’s unseen contribution in India’s historic win Down Under

Former Indian captain Rahul Dravid announced his retirement from international cricket in 2012. He was part of the touring party under the leadership of MS Dhoni that lost 4-0 to Australia between December 2011 and January 2012. The dreadful series also turned out to be the last set of matches in Dravid’s otherwise glorious career, spanning 16 years, 164 Tests and World No. 1 Team rankings from 2009 till 2011.

A few years after his retirement, the legendary batsman took up the coaching role of India A and India Under-19 sides. He became the head coach of both India U-19 and India A in 2016 and remained attached to the role till 2019. As appointed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) themselves, Dravid is currently the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) based in Bengaluru.

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Under Rahul Dravid’s coaching tenure, India U-19 reached the final of the 2016 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. India’s heroes at The Gabba, Rishabh Pant and debutant Washington Sundar, were both integral members of the 2016 runners-up squad, despite failing to get their hands on the coveted trophy.

Two years later, Rahul Dravid coached Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand. 21-year-old Shaw, who played the first Test of India’s recently-concluded tour of Australia, led India U-19 to their fourth-ever title victory with a win over Australia’s youth in the final. Shubman Gill, who made his Test debut during India’s win at the MCG, was adjudged as the ‘Player of the Tournament’ for finishing the event with 372 runs at an average of 124.00.

Rahul Dravid continues to monitor and nurture talented youngsters as head of the NCA. Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer and commentator Harsha Bhogle recently thanked the former Indian captain for his contributions in helping out the next generation of Indian cricket.

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India vs Australia 4th Test 2021 summary

While Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill’s Day 5 brilliance saw Team India overhaul a stiff target to clinch the series, the 123-run stand in the first innings between Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar also turned out to be a decisive factor. While Pant, Gill and Sundar have all been coached by Rahul Dravid at some point of their careers, even Shardul Thakur was mentored by the legendary cricketer during his coaching days for India A.

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Image source: BCCI Twitter