Rahul Dravid Archives - Lokmarg

Rahul Gets Extension As Head Coach Of Team India

By LokMarg 29th November 2023

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday announced the extension of contracts for head coach Rahul Dravid and the support staff of Team India (Senior Men).

“The BCCI engaged in productive discussions with Rahul Dravid after the term of his contract ended following the recently concluded ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 and unanimously agreed to further the tenure,” BCCI said in an official statement.

“The Board acknowledges Dravid’s instrumental role in moulding the Indian Team and commends his exceptional professionalism. The Board also appreciates VVS Laxman for his exemplary roles as Head of NCA and as the stand-in head coach. Similar to their legendary on-field partnerships, Dravid and Laxman have worked closely in driving Indian Cricket forward” the statement added.

Batting coach Vikram Rathour, fielding coach T Dilip and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey will continue their stint with team India as BCCI also extended contracts of support staff of Team India.

Dravid’s second stint with the Team India will be the tour of South Africa from December 10, which will have three ODIs and T20Is each and two Tests. The red-ball leg will start from December 26.

Following that will be a five-match Test series against England at home, before the ICC T20 World Cup in June in West Indies/USA.

Dravid replaced Ravi Shastri following a disappointing ICC T20 World Cup campaign in 2021, which saw India exit in the Super 12 stage. He was appointed for a two-year term, which ended with India’s runners-up finish in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup at home.

On the contract extention, Dravid said, “The last two years with Team India have been thoroughly memorable. Together, we have witnessed the highs and lows, and throughout this journey, the support and camaraderie within the group have been phenomenal. I am genuinely proud of the culture we have set in the dressing room. It’s a culture that stands resilient, whether in moments of triumph or adversity. The skills and talent that our team possesses are phenomenal, and what we’ve stressed is following the right process and sticking to our preparations, which has had a direct impact on the overall result.”

“I thank the BCCI and the Office Bearers for placing their trust in me, endorsing my vision, and providing support during this period. The demands of this role necessitate considerable time away from home, and I deeply appreciate my family’s sacrifices and support. Their instrumental role behind the scenes has been invaluable. As we embrace new challenges post the World Cup, we remain committed to the pursuit of excellence,” he added. (ANI)

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Dravid Reminisces On Virat’s First Tour To WI In 2011

By LokMarg 12th July 2023

Ahead of the first Test against West Indies in Dominica, star India batter Virat Kohli and head coach Rahul Dravid, who were part of the Test team that toured Windies in 2011 and played in Dominica, reflected on their journey in long format which has saw Virat coming back to Windies with experience of 100-plus Tests, with Dravid in a different capacity as a coach.

Virat said that when the team came into the dressing room and for the practice session, he thought about his first series as a Test player in 2011 which came in West Indies.
“When we went to the dressing room and practice session in Dominica and I can remember my first series here as a Test player. This is the country where it all started. And coming here to play after 12 years, having played 100-plus Test matches. This is just amazing. I had never imagined anything like this,” said Kohli in a video posted by BCCI.

“We all looked up Rahul bhai, we are blessed, only two members from 2011, life has come full circle & it has been amazing,” he added.

Virat’s first tour in Test cricket was disappointing despite the enormous success he had achieved in ODIs by then at such a young age. He could score only 76 runs in three matches, five innings at an average of 15.20, with best score of 30. Dravid on the other hand, topped the batting charts in the series with 251 runs in six innings at an average of 50.20, with one century and a fifty.

Dravid also said that it is special to comeback to the venue as a coach 12 years later with Virat, the only player active from that 2011 series. He also talked about how Virat was still finding his feet back then in Tests, but he could see that there was something special about Virat.

“To comeback as a coach and bring a team here after 2011 is special. Virat was the only player on that tour who is still active. I am sure Virat Kohli is proud of his journey from 2011 to now. It has been amazing and very nice to see his journey, going from a young player to grow into a senior player of the team,” said Dravid.

“The first time back in 2011, he was a young kid, he had done well in ODIs and was finding his feet in Tests. But you could see that there was something special about him and he will stick around. I never thought I would coach him. Now, I am a young coach, having just started and he has played more than 100 Tests the tables have turned,” added Dravid.

Since that series, Virat has established himself as one of the best players in modern Test cricket. In 109 Tests, he has scored 8.479 runs at an average of 48.72. He has 28 centuries and fifties each in the format, with the best score of 254.

In West Indies, Virat has struggled in Test cricket. In 9 Tests he has played there, he has scored 435 runs in 13 innings at an average of 35.61, with one century and two half-centuries. His best score is 200.

Overall against the Windies, Virat has played 14 Tests and has scored 822 runs at an average of 43.26. He has scored two centuries and five half-centuries, with the best score of 200.

Overall in West Indies, Virat has played 30 international matches, scoring 1,400 runs at an average of 46.66. He has scored five centuries and six half-centuries in 33 innings, with the best score of 200.

He has played a total of 70 international matches against the West Indies, scoring 3,653 runs at an average of 57.98. He has scored 11 centuries and 22 fifties against the side, with the best score of 200. (ANI)

List Of Records Broken By Kohli In T20 Match At Melbourne

By LokMarg 24th October 2022

Star Indian batter Virat Kohli is back-breaking records and cricket is healing! During his instant classic match-winning knock of 82* off 53 balls against Pakistan during the ICC T20 World Cup at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), ‘Chasemaster’ Kohli went on another record-breaking spree.

Here is a look at some of these records:

1). Highest run-scorer in T20I history

Virat became the highest run-scorer in T20I cricket history. In 110 appearances and 102 innings in the shortest format, Kohli has 3,794 runs at an average of 51.97. One century and 34 half-centuries have been scored by the batter in this format, with the best score of 122*.

Behind him in the T20I run charts are compatriot and skipper Rohit Sharma (3,741), New Zealand veteran Martin Guptill (3,531), Pakistan star batter Babar Azam (3,231) and Irish veteran Paul Stirling (3,119).

2). Most fifty-plus scores at ICC events

Virat surpassed his batting idol and legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar to register the most fifty-plus scores at ICC events. The star Indian batter accomplished his 24th fifty-plus score to surpass Sachin’s total of 23 during his side’s Super 12 match against Pakistan at the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup 2022 at Melbourne Cricket Ground.

In his 26 matches at ICC Cricket World Cup events, Kohli has scored 1,030 runs at an average of 46.81. Two centuries and six half-centuries have come out of his bat, with the best score of 107.

In his 22 matches and 20 innings at ICC T20 World Cup, Virat has scored 927 runs at an average of 84.27. Eleven half-centuries have come out of his bat, with a best of 89*. He is the third-highest run scorer in tournament history behind West Indies legend Chris Gayle (965) and Mahela Jayawardene of Sri Lanka (1,016).

In his 13 ICC Champions Trophy matches, 529 runs have come out of Virat’s bat at an amazing average of 88.16 in 12 innings. Five half-centuries have come out of his bat, with the best score of 96*.

Combined, in his 61 ICC event matches, Virat has scored 2,486 runs in 60 innings at an average of 60.63. Two centuries and 22 half-centuries have come out of his bat with the best score of 107.

On the other hand, Sachin has scored 2,278 runs in 45 World Cup matches across 44 innings at an average of 56.95. Six tons and 15 fifties have come out of his bat, with a best of 152. He is the leading scorer in tournament history. Sachin has made no appearances at ICC T20 World Cup.

In Champions Trophy, Sachin scored 441 runs in 16 matches at an average of 36.75 in 14 innings. One century and one half-century have come out of his bat in this tournament, with the best score of 141.

Overall, Sachin has scored 2,719 in his 61 matches at ICC events. These runs have come at an average of 49.43. Seven centuries and 16 half-centuries have come out of his bat, with the best score of 152.

3). Sixth highest run-scorer in international cricket history

Virat Kohli also surpassed legendary Indian batter Rahul Dravid to become the sixth-highest run-scorer in international cricket history.

Now, Virat is in the sixth position among the highest run-scorers in international cricket. In 528 matches, he has scored 24,212 runs at an average of 53.80. 71 centuries and 126 half-centuries have come out of his bat, with the best score of 254*.

On the other hand, Rahul Dravid has now dropped to the seventh position among the leading run scorers in the sport’s history. In 509 appearances, Dravid has scored 24,208 runs at an average of 45.41. 48 centuries and 146 half-centuries have been scored by the batting great, with the best individual score of 270.

4). Highest stand for any wicket against Pakistan in T20Is

In their five-wicket win over Pakistan at the ICC T20 World Cup, India created another record as Virat and all-rounder Hardik Pandya recorded the highest partnership for any wicket against the arch-rivals in the shortest format.

In their Super 12 match against Pakistan, both batters added a match-winning 113 runs in just 78 balls.

With this partnership, they surpassed the previous record set by the legendary middle-order duo of Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni, who had stitched a stand of 97 runs for the fourth wicket against arch-rivals back in December 2012.

5). Highest average during successful chases in ICC T20 World Cup history

Virat has Bradman-Esque statistics while pulling off chases in T20 World Cup, which solidify his billing as the ‘Chasemaster’. In 9 successful chases at the global event of the sport’s shortest format, Kohli has scored 518 runs at a whooping average of 518.00 in nine innings. He has stayed unbeaten eight times and his best score is 82*. In these chases, he has smashed seven half-centuries. This star is absolutely unstoppable and hard to dismiss during chases.

6). Kohli unbeaten = Team India’s win

This star batter has been unbeaten 18 times while chasing during T20Is. In all these matches, the results went in India’s favor. This is another statistic that proves how brilliant Virat is as a chaser. (ANI)