[Watch] When Virat Kohli Reflected His Unique Partnership With Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli in September 2023 (AP)
Modern-day great Virat Kohli started out his Test journey back in June 2011 against West Indies alongside then-veteran Rahul Dravid. While Kohli failed to make much impact with the bat throughout India’s three-match tour to the Caribbean, he and Dravid scripted their side’s historic series win together as teammates.
12 years down the line, Kohli and Dravid once again travelled to the West Indies, albeit with completely different roles this time around. While the contemporary batting master arrived in the Caribbean off the back of over 100-match experience in July 2023, the former cricketer led the travelling Indian troops as the head coach of the side.
During the 2023 tour, Virat Kohli recalled his humble Test beginnings and reflected his unique partnership with Rahul Dravid.
The Indian team, under Rohit Sharma, arrived in West Indies in July 2023 to start off their all-format tour with a two-match Test series. Days prior to the opening Test match, seasoned campaigner Virat Kohli recalled his maiden voyage to West Indies from June 2011 and divulged the recent conversation he had with then-teammate and current head coach Rahul Dravid. Kohli said:
“It is quite amazing, I told Rahul bhai yesterday as well, I said you would never have imagined that 12 years later we will be coming back to the same venue and you will be the head coach and I would have played more than 100 games, no one would have guessed that one. I’m just blessed that we are the only two members from the last trip. Still here in different capacities, it’s like life has come full circle and the journey has been quite amazing.”
Rahul Dravid also recalled Virat Kohli’s induction to India’s Test side, and added that he never expected that he will once again be travelling with Kohli to West Indies a decade later, with both holding different roles.
Watch: Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid express admiration for each other
Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid continue to share a great camaraderie with each other, as evidenced from their team interactions and their mutual desire to win.
The two Indian batting stalwarts were also batchmates for the RCB in the IPL together, when the league first started out back in 2008.
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