If India win World Cup, Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid will be remembered for long for their contributions: Sanjay Bangar

Sanjay Bangar speaking exclusively to Star Sports show “Follow the Blues”, on how important this World Cup is for Rahul Dravid as a coach of team India, said, It’s a huge moment for Rahul Dravid, we usually speak on football history where we discuss captains and players who won the world cup medal as a player and coach, Rahul has that opportunity, whereas in 2003 he got a silver medal. He has put a lot of effort, planning, and preparation with the Indian team. Not just with the Indian men’s team, Rahul’s work is well appreciated for his involvement and contribution at NCA and under 19 team setup. Overall it will be a big day for Rahul Dravid as a coach as well.

Because when we speak about coaches from earlier times it used to be managers. When we speak about the 1983 ICC Cricket World Cup PR Man Singh saab name is always been discussed and for the 2011 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, we equally speak on  Gary Kirsten for his role and contribution to the team in the same breadth and importance as MS Dhoni gets. And if the Indian team wins the World Cup tomorrow then Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid will be remembered for a long time for their roles and contribution they made to winning the Cup.

MD Kaif spoke on India’s Captain Rohit Sharma’s focus on winning the World Cup, he said - “Rohit scored 500 runs in the previous World Cup, but India did not win it. He scored well, scored a few centuries, and played really well in seaming conditions, but all that happened in the past now. He wants to win the World Cup here, and he has a different role here as a captain and a leader, and the team has played well with both the batters and the bowlers being in form. 

And also let me remind you that nobody remembers the number 2. I’ll give an instance of where once I was standing with Ravi Shastri, and the interviewer referred to him as a World Cup winner, and my name was not included there as I had lost the 2003 World Cup, and nobody remembers the losers when interviews will happen after 20 years of the events, but the winning team and players are always remembered and cherished. The way Rohit has led from the front and played his shots while batting, and how Virat Kohli has scored 700 runs with all the other players also contributing so well, it will be very hard to get a team as well performing as this in the next World Cup, and hence this is our best chance to win the World Cup. It’s now or never.”

Sanjay Bangar spoke on how tomorrow’s final will be a defining moment for the players and the captain Rohit Sharma, he said- “As Md Kaif mentioned, winners are the ones who are always remembered in the end, and this team has that opportunity to win the World Cup. In 2015, and 2019 the World Cup was not being played in India, now they are playing the tournament in India, and they know about the conditions here and the support a team receives at home is always special. You don’t expect such support in other countries like Australia, Sri Lanka, or New Zealand but, it’s a big plus point that all these factors have culminated, and the team has 7 or 8 players who are playing their second or the third World Cup. So I’m sure the team will achieve what they have set out to, and be at the position they deserve.”