'Life Has Come a Full Circle': Virat Kohli & Rahul Dravid

Jatin

image-ljz8zxl1Rahul Dravid & Virat Kohli ahead of the first Test vs West Indies

India is bracing itself for an eagerly awaited Test series against West Indies, set to commence on Wednesday, July 12 in Dominica, marking the return of Indian cricket legends Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli to the same venue where their paths intertwined in 2011 as teammates.

Ahead of the series opener, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) released a video on Twitter featuring Indian head coach, Dravid, and veteran batter, Kohli with 109 Tests to his name, reminiscing on their unforgettable memories in Dominica and reflecting on their incredible journeys.

"When we came back here in 2011, that was a really special occasion for the island and for the ground here. To come here in a different capacity as a coach and bring a team here...Virat was the only one who was there when we came back in 2011," said Dravid, reminiscing about their previous visit.

Kohli expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to return to the Caribbean after 12 years and play over 100 Tests. He recalled the significance of the Caribbean as the starting point of his Test career, making the experience of returning as a senior player even more incredible.

"I remembered my first series here as a Test player and this is the country where it all started...in the Caribbean. It is just amazing to be able to come back here 12 years later, having played more than 100 Tests. I would have never imagined anything like this," shared Kohli.

Dravid took a trip down memory lane, recounting Kohli's debut series and recognizing the special talent that the young cricketer possessed.

"He was this young kid who had done well in One Day cricket and he was just finding his feet a little bit in Test cricket. But you could see there was some special talent out there. You could see he was going to be around for a while; how long you can never say, so I think he can be very proud of his journey," added Dravid.

Kohli reciprocated the admiration, commending Dravid's humility and experience as a coach.

"I think his comment about him being a youngster in his coaching career is quite a humble one because he has been coaching for a long period of time now," stated Kohli, acknowledging Dravid's wealth of coaching expertise.

The Indian captain fondly remembered their time as teammates, with Dravid being a senior and established Test player whom the entire team looked up to.

"I told Rahul Bhai, I am sure you would have never imagined that 12 years later we will come back to the same venue and you would be the head coach and I would have played over more than 100 games. No one would have guessed that one," mentioned Kohli, reflecting on the unique turn of events.

Kohli concluded by expressing his gratitude for the extraordinary journey they have embarked upon. 

"So, I am just blessed that we are the only two members from the last trip, still here in different capacities. It's like life has come a full circle, and the journeys have been quite amazing," concluded Kohli.