Legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar has demanded that former player and Indian team head coach Rahul Dravid be awarded the highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna. Dravid’s tenure as coach ended after the T20 World Cup final, where he concluded his term by leading the team to victory in the tournament.
During Dravid’s coaching period, India achieved several milestones, including being runners-up in the World Test Championship (WTC) and the 2023 ODI World Cup. Additionally, under his leadership, the team also won the Asia Cup. Besides his coaching contributions, Dravid has made numerous contributions to Indian cricket.
He served as the head of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and coached the Indian team that won the Under-19 World Cup in 2018. As a player, Dravid scored 24,177 runs. His impact has been significant both on and off the field.
In an article, Gavaskar wrote that it would be fitting for the Indian government to honor Dravid with the Bharat Ratna, as he truly deserves it. He highlighted Dravid’s accomplishments as a great player and captain, who led India to a series victory in the West Indies and became the third Indian captain to win a Test series in England.
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As the NCA president, Dravid nurtured young talents and later became the coach of the senior Indian team. Earlier this year, some individuals received the Bharat Ratna for their significant contributions to society, although their impact was largely limited to their party and the region they represented.
Gavaskar emphasized that Dravid’s achievements have brought joy to the entire nation and that he certainly deserves the highest honor in the country. He urged people to join him in demanding that the government honor this great son of India. “Bharat Ratna Rahul Sharad Dravid, doesn’t that sound wonderful?” Gavaskar asked.
He also praised Dravid’s selfless attitude during his playing days, which continued during his tenure as the head coach of the Indian team. Gavaskar noted that whenever a wicket fell in the final moments of the day’s play, Dravid would step up to bat himself.
