The crying need for a legacy to Rahul Dravid's coaching tenure

It is back again. Like a recurring season, every 12 months, another ICC tournament is just a day away from commencing as the best teams from various parts of the world descend in West Indies and United States to try and win the T20 World Cup, over the next one month.

June will mark 11 years since India last won an ICC tournament. There have been some crushing heartbreaks, along the way, none more than at Ahmedabad in November 2023- the scars of which continues to linger on with many die-hard fans on social media.

The tournament provides an opportunity for the two stooges-Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli-to stand on the podium, for perhaps the last time together, at a global T20 event.

It also offers another man, with the opportunity, to put a World Cup medal, around his neck, as the coach of this side.

Rahul Dravid took over in November 2021 and it would be fair to say that his tenure at the helm, a role he took after much persuasion, has been a mixed bag.

India have won bilateral series, none more impressive than the one against England at home a few months ago but not won a series outside Asia, lost a series lead in England and faltered miserably in the World Test Championships final.

While his style of coaching has got him plaudits from many players, the trophy cabinet still remains empty and so, can one say, does his legacy as the coach of this side.

Under John Wright, India went from being dreamers to believers, especially overseas. While they did not win a single Test series abroad, they improved to such an extent that fans willingly woke up at odd hours of the day to watch them play, continously tracked scores on the internet and packed the stadiums, wherever they played around the world.

Under Gary Kirsten, MS Dhoni became arguably India's best ODI captain. When he had all the players fit and available, India won everywhere around the globe and his stint culminated with the 2011 ODI World Cup win on home soil. In Test cricket, India showed excellent bounce back ability overseas.

The Duncan Fletcher-era was a contrast, where a transitioning side showed promise in Test cricket overseas, but flourished in white-ball cricket and won the Champions Trophy in 2013 against most odds and reached the final and the semis of the T20 and 50-over World Cups in 2014 and 2015, respectively. His era ended with the hope that there was a set of players who could take Indian cricket forward in the years to come.

Across his two stints as coach of the side, India won a Test series in Sri Lanka and two Test series in Australia. Yet, above those wins, Ravi Shastri's greatest legacy as India's coach was that him, along with Bharat Arun, developed a seam bowling attack unseen in Indian cricket, capable of winning Test matches anywhere in the world.

That, then, begs the obvious question: For whatever little that he thinks about its meaning or value, what legacy will Dravid leave as India's head coach?

Have India identified their next all-format batter? Can't be said with surety.

Are India a better Test team overseas, than they were under Shastri? The answer to that is no.

Have they unearthed fast bowlers, capable of playing overseas when the regulars are unavailable? Unsure.

In that sense, Dravid could have been persuaded to remain India's Test coach for 12 more months. A series win in Australia and a second crack at winning the World Test Championships would have been a tasty proposition.

But, as it is becoming clearer by the day, Dravid is uninterested to continue post June 29. That means that he will get one last shot at silverware when his and Sharma's India take to the field to try and reclaim the T20 World Cup.

That will also, in all probability, be Dravid's last attempt to leave with fulfilling the crying need for a legacy to his coaching tenure.