Former India head coach Rahul Dravid strongly supported the decision to introduce cricket in the Olympics. He also revealed that there has been a sense of excitement among the Indian players about participating in the Olympic Games. Dravid was invited as a Guest Panelists in the discussion themed ‘Cricket at the Olympics: Dawn of a new era’. The event was to commemorate the groundbreaking decision to include cricket in the 2028 Los Angeles Games, marking a significant milestone for the sport and its enthusiasts worldwide.
“I’ve already heard a few conversations in the dressing room. People are talking about the 2026 T20 World Cup, there is an ODI World Cup in 2027, and you hear people saying there is the Olympics in 2028,” Dravid said as quoted by PTI during the discussion.
Dravid shared that the Indian cricket team has been talking about joining the Olympics and the players are excited about the chance to win a medal and meet athletes from around the world.
“Everyone wants to win that gold medal, stand on the podium, and be part of the Olympic Village, which is a big sports event. They also want to meet many athletes.”
“As the time gets closer, I’m sure teams will start getting ready and checking out the facilities. They will take this seriously, and players will do everything they can to be there,” he said.
“You grow up watching the Olympics, seeing athletes like Carl Lewis win gold medals, and watching great athletes perform. You always want to be part of big events like this. The atmosphere and energy make it a dream come true.”
Dravid wished for India to win both the men’s and women’s gold medals in cricket at the Los Angeles Games.
“My dream is to see a great cricket tournament, and it would be wonderful if both the Indian men’s and women’s teams won gold.
“But what I really hope for is that many Indian fans can travel to LA to cheer for cricket and demonstrate to the world how important and amazing the sport is,” he mentioned.
“Sadly, I won’t be playing, but I’ll do my best to be in LA in some way. If nothing else works out, I might try to get a job in the media,” Dravid said humorously, after finishing his role as India’s head coach following the recent T20 World Cup victory.
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