Cricket Interviews: Did Rahul Dravid Just Uncover the Secret Behind Rohit Sharma’s Captaincy Success?

Their biggest achievement came in 2024 when India lifted the T20 World Cup under their guidance, ending a long wait for an ICC trophy. Now, with Dravid’s tenure over and Rohit stepping aside from T20s and Tests, fans have been missing this iconic pair. Recently, Dravid reflected on those memorable coaching days in an interview.

How Rahul Dravid Shaped His Coaching Around Rohit Sharma’s Leadership?

The days of Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma working together as coach and captain will be remembered as one of the most successful phases for Indian cricket in recent times. Between 2022 and 2024, this partnership not only brought stability to the side but also major success across formats, with India lifting important trophies and reaching the big stages of world tournaments. When Rahul Dravid took over as India’s head coach, he needed a captain who could share the same vision and build a strong culture in the dressing room. That’s when Rohit Sharma stepped in, and the combination worked perfectly.

Under their leadership, India first clinched the Asia Cup in 2023, giving fans and the team a major boost. Later that year, they went all the way to the final of the Cricket World Cup on home soil. Though India fell short against Australia in the final, their journey to that stage was a reflection of the consistency and calmness brought in by the Dravid-Rohit duo. The biggest moment of their partnership came in 2024 when India lifted the T20 World Cup. This was a tournament where both coach and captain showed their experience and planning. It was also a much-awaited trophy for India after more than a decade of struggles in T20 World Cups. On this, he said:

It was really good. The thing with Rohit that I always felt was that he deeply cared about the team and he was, right from the first day, he was very clear about how he wanted to run the team and what was important to him. And that’s really important in any relationship between a captain and a coach, especially the way I coach. I always like to believe that it should be the captain’s team. I’ve been a player, and I’ve been a captain as well, but a captain has to lead in terms of the direction he wants to go in, and you have to support him and help him in that.

For fans, this victory sealed their place as one of the most effective coach-captain pairs in Indian cricket history. Rahul Dravid, speaking recently about his time as coach, gave deep insights into Rohit’s leadership style. He explained that what stood out about Rohit was how much he cared for the team. According to Dravid, Rohit was never uncertain or confused about what he wanted. From the very beginning, he was clear about the culture he wanted in the dressing room, the atmosphere he wanted to build, and the way he wanted his team to function.

Dravid, who himself had been India’s captain during his playing days, understood that the captain’s vision always drives a side forward. For him, the coach’s job was to guide, support, and occasionally challenge, but never to override the captain’s authority. That is why, as Dravid mentioned, he made sure Rohit had the freedom to shape the team his way. In return, Rohit’s clarity and vast experience made Dravid’s job easier. There were moments when Dravid had to provide inputs to sharpen decisions or bring in clarity, but with Rohit, most of the time the direction was already set. Rohit’s years of international cricket meant he understood situations deeply, whether it was player management or tactical decisions on the field. He further added:

You sometimes need to help a captain in terms of getting that clarity and understanding what is required. But with Rohit, I thought he was very clear about what he wanted from the team, how he wanted the environment to be, how he wanted the atmosphere to be, and how he wanted things to run. He had so much experience over the years, and that really helped. He was very clear on those things.

Rahul Dravid on Rohit Sharma's Biggest Strength
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.#RohitSharma #RahulDravid #TeamIndia #Cricket #Leadership #IndianCricketTeam #CricketQuotes #SportsPsychology #stumpsandbails pic.twitter.com/3nNswleCd1

— STUMPSNBAILS (@stumpnbails) August 22, 2025

This made the coach’s role more about creating a comfortable environment where Rohit could operate freely. Dravid also highlighted the importance of their personal bond. It wasn’t just about cricket meetings or tactical discussions. The two often spent evenings together, sometimes having meals and chatting about things beyond cricket. That comfort level meant they trusted each other and never felt pressured to constantly sit in formal discussions. This balance of professional respect and personal comfort added strength to their working relationship. One of the most touching things Dravid spoke about was seeing Rohit’s journey as a cricketer.

Dravid had first seen him as a youngster at the Under-19 level and even gave him his first big opportunity in international cricket. Years later, to work with him as captain of the national side and watch him grow as a leader gave Dravid a sense of pride. He described it as a special experience to witness the transformation of Rohit from a talented teenager into a mature and respected leader of men. For Dravid, the key was ensuring Rohit felt settled and confident in his role, because once that happened, the captain’s natural leadership qualities inspired the rest of the squad. He concluded:

For me, it was just working with him on challenging him at times on certain things, but also just working with him to ensure that you know, he was able to be comfortable in that space. I just enjoyed sort of getting to know him as a person and chatting with him. There were a lot of times (during) our conversations, we were comfortable enough to be able to sit and have conversations with each other without having to talk only about cricket.

Players followed his example, and India’s success during those two years reflected that culture. Looking back, the Dravid-Rohit era may not have won every trophy, but it brought India stability, belief, and one of the most cherished titles in modern cricket, the 2024 T20 World Cup. It also showed what can happen when a coach and captain work in sync, respecting each other’s space yet challenging one another when needed. Their time together leaves behind lessons in leadership, teamwork, and trust that future coach-captain pairs will look to follow.

Who Stood Out as Rahul Dravid’s Favourite Rising Star?

After being the coach who guided India to the 2024 T20 World Cup title, Rahul Dravid has often spoken about his journey of working with the next generation of cricketers. In a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube show, Dravid shared a story about Shubman Gill’s early days that showed just how highly regarded the youngster was before he became a star. Dravid went back to his time with the India Under-19 team, especially during the 2018 World Cup. That tournament was a turning point for many players, and India lifted the trophy in dominant fashion.

Among the squad were future internationals like Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw. Dravid recalled that before he even had the chance to watch Gill play live, people around the junior cricket system kept mentioning his name. Coaches, selectors, and scouts all spoke about a young batter from Punjab who was making a mark. According to Dravid, he had heard about Gill from multiple people, and it created a strong image of the player even before he laid eyes on him. When he finally did get to see Gill in action, the youngster lived up to his growing reputation. On this, Dravid said:

Shubman Gill was the obvious one, along with Prithvi Shaw. Many people discovered Shubman Gill because everywhere I went, all I heard was “Shubman Gill, whoa, this player Shubman Gill.'” And it’s true, when you come through this Indian system, where you are a special player like Vaibhav [Suryavanshi] or [Ayush] Mhatre, they have been through so many coaches and scouts. Before I actually saw Shubman Gill, about six people had told me there’s this kid called Shubman Gill, and that he’s a very good player and things like that.

Gill went on to be one of the standout performers of that World Cup, cementing his place as a future star. For Dravid, this experience highlighted how certain players generate a buzz very early in their careers, and Gill was one of those rare names who caught the attention of almost everyone in the system. Dravid also looked back at his earlier work with the Under-19 side in 2016. From that group, one of the players who stood out instantly was Rishabh Pant. He remembered being struck by Pant’s aggressive style and confidence at such a young age.

Another player who drew his attention was left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed. Although Khaleel has struggled to establish himself consistently at the top level, Dravid felt that at the junior stage he showed skills and pace that made people believe he had the tools to succeed. While highlighting individual talents, Dravid made it clear that what excites him most is the overall pool of young players in India. He spoke about his experiences outside the Under-19 setup too, particularly in the Indian Premier League. During his stint with Rajasthan Royals, he came across several promising youngsters. He further added:

Riyan Parag was one such name, and Dravid also remembered the first time he saw Sanju Samson when he was still a teenager. He described Samson as someone who immediately looked like he belonged at a higher level because of his natural ability. Dravid stressed that India’s strength lies not just in producing one or two exceptional players, but in the continuous stream of youngsters who emerge every season. He said that trials for the IPL continue to prove how much depth the country has, with new faces regularly surprising coaches with their skills and temperament. His final statement was:

I can’t say one. That would be very unfair. I think when I saw Rishabh for the first time, I knew this guy was something different. Looking back at the 2016 batch, I thought even someone like Khaleel Ahmed… he’s still finding his way in, still not able to crack it… but when you saw him in Under-19, you thought, “‘Wow, this kid has some ability for a young fast bowler. Riyan [Parag] was in there too. When I first saw Sanju Samson at 18 years old, he looked a million bucks. And you continue to see that. So many names are not mentioned. It’s not one kid that makes you go “Wow”; it’s actually just the talent coming through the Indian system that makes you go “Wow”.

dravid popa is so proud 🥺🩵 pic.twitter.com/kBzoSUli0h

— 𝑫𝒊𝒚𝒂𝒂🌙 (@d_stellarqueen) August 21, 2025

For him, the real excitement is not about one player who becomes a star but about the system that keeps producing talent in such large numbers. Even before Gill became a familiar name to fans, he was already making waves among people who follow junior cricket closely. Having someone like Dravid as a mentor at that stage only made the path smoother for him and others from his batch. What comes across strongly in Dravid’s reflections is his balanced view.