Rahul Dravid slashes ?2.5 crore from his T20 World Cup bonus, calls for equal rewards: report
In a move that exemplifies his down-to-earth attitude, Rahul Dravid has appealed to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to halve his INR 5 crore prize money after Team India's thumping win in the T20 World Cup 2024.?Earlier, the BCCI had declared a total sum of Rs 125 crore for the victorious squad along with coaches and support staff.
Dravid's gesture of humility?
Initially, an amount of Rs 5 crore was reserved for Dravid, but he requested the board to equalise his bonus to that of the other coaches, who were each set to receive INR 2.5 crore.
Dravid stated that he wanted equal pay for everyone on the coaching staff, which consists of Vikram Rathore, T Dilip, and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, as per a Hindustan Times report.
"Rahul wanted the same bonus money (Rs. 2.5 crore) as the rest of his support staff... We respect his sentiments," a BCCI source said.
On this occasion, renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle appreciated Rahul Dravid and said that the departing coach "makes humility look cool."
"In a world where 'come-look-at-me' is a disease and paid PR is an acceptable way of life, Rahul Dravid makes humility look cool. It is what we must aspire for in our profession; to achieve greatness and let it rest simply upon us," Bhogle's post on X read.
Dravid has a history of supporting equitable reward sharing. While leading India's U-19 World Cup-winning squad in 2018, he demanded that the support personnel receive equal compensation. Dravid was initially set for an initial payout of Rs 50 lakh compared to Rs 20 lakh for other staff members, but his insistence led to a payment of Rs 20 lakh for each employee, including him.
Rohit Sharma & Ritika Sajdeh's message for Dravid
Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma, who has a close working relationship with Dravid, sent a poignant homage to the outgoing head coach on Instagram earlier on Tuesday.?Rohit, who made his international debut under Dravid¡¯s captaincy in 2007, referred to him as his coach, confidant, and friend.
¡°Dear Rahul bhai, I have been trying to find the right words to properly express my feelings on this but I¡¯m not sure I ever will so here¡¯s my attempt. Since my childhood days I have looked up to you just like billions of others but I was lucky enough to get to work with you this closely. You are an absolute stalwart of this game but you left all of your accolades and achievements at the door and walked in as our coach and came on a level where we all felt comfortable enough to say just about anything to you. That is your gift, your humility and your love for this game even after all this time. I have learnt so much from you and every memory will be cherished. My wife refers to you as my work wife and I¡¯m lucky to get to call you that too. This was the only thing missing from your arsenal and I¡¯m so happy that we got to achieve it together. Rahul bhai it has been an absolute privilege to get to call you my confidant, my coach and my friend,¡± Rohit¡¯s Instagram post read.?
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Ritika Sajdeh echoed Rohit's sentiments, sharing his post with a message highlighting Dravid's importance to their family, stating, ¡°You mean so much to our entire family. You will be missed so so much. I think Sammy will miss you most of all.¡±
Beginning in November 2021 and ending on June 29, 2024, with a thrilling victory against South Africa to win the T20 World Cup, Dravid led the Indian squad as head coach.
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