Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid shared the most challenging moment of his career as team India coach, expressing regret over not winning the Test series in South Africa. Dravid, who took on the coaching role in November 2021, reflects on India's tour to South Africa in 2021 as the lowest point in his career.
During Rahul Dravid's tenure, India secured a 113-run victory over Proteas in the Centurion Test and nearly achieved their first Test series win in South Africa. However, South Africa rallied in the final two Tests, ultimately defeating India at home and preserving their unbeaten record.
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"If you ask me what is the lowest point, I would say that the South Africa Test series early on in my career. We won the first Test match in South Africa in Centurion, and then we were playing in the second and third Test match. We have never won a series in South Africa, as you know. It was a really big opportunity for us to win that series. Some of our senior players were not there," Dravid said on Star Sports.
Virat Kohli missed the second Test due to a one-match ban for a slow over rate, with KL Rahul stepping in as captain. In Kohli's absence, South Africa chased down a target of 240 runs in the second Test and secured a win with a 212-run chase in the third Test, clinching the series 2-1. Following this series, Kohli stepped down from the captaincy.
In Virat Kohli's final series as India's captain, the team lost two consecutive Tests, leading to a 2-1 series defeat against the Proteas.
Rahul Dravid had intended to step down as India's head coach following the 2023 ODI World Cup loss, but Rohit Sharma convinced him to stay on until the T20 World Cup. This decision proved fruitful, as India ultimately won the T20 World Cup.