‘Big players have big egos but...’ – Rahul Dravid makes huge statement on working with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma

Former Indian coach and batting great Rahul Dravid has been in the news recently for his likely return to the dugout. The 51-year-old has been linked with a move to Rajasthan Royals to replace Kumara Sangakkara before the IPL 2025 season. 

Rahul Dravid was recently conversing with Star Spots where he was asked to give his views on working with Rohit Sharma. “I think it was a privilege to work with Rohit. In these two and a half years, I think he was a fantastic leader. People really gravitated towards him, the team,” he said.

The former Indian coach also said, “I think that makes a big difference. There were a lot of other senior players as well, whether it was Virat, Bumrah, or Ashwin in Test cricket that we played. So many of them--just because a lot of Indian cricketers are big names, and they are superstars, and rightly so, and they're followed by so many people--sometimes people think that they have big egos and that they are very difficult to manage." 

Rahul Dravid speaks about positive Indian dressing room

During his chat with Star Sports, former Indian coach Rahul Dravid said, “But actually, I think it's just the opposite. A lot of these superstars are actually very humble about their preparation. They are humble about their work ethic. And that is why they are superstars. Look at Ashwin today; at this age, he's willing to adapt, he's willing to learn.”

Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma led India to the finals of the World Test Championships and the ODI World Cup 2023 edition. On both occasions, the Indian team were beaten by Australia to extend their wait for an ICC title. The wait was finally over as India beat South Africa to win the T20 World Cup for the second time. 

“So just one example. Of course, at times you have to manage them, manage their bodies, manage the workload, a lot of those things. But to be honest, it was not very difficult. I had a good group of people around me. And it was a privilege and a pleasure to work with some of these guys. And I'm happy we were able to create a good environment. But a lot of the credit must go to the captain and the senior people who, to be honest, actually drive a team," added Rahul Dravid.