BCCI releases unseen footage of Rahul Dravid’s stirring speech for debutants Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat
How Rahul Dravid inducted Suryakumar Yadav and KS Bharat into the Test side in Nagpur? What Ravi Shastri told SKY that even made Virat Kohli smile?
Giving cricket fans a sneak peek of the memorable team talk, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has released unseen footage of the moving speeches of Dravid and Shastri during the team huddle in Nagpur. On Thursday, World No.1 T20I batter Suryakumar and wicketkeeper Bharat made their Test debuts in the series opener of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium.
Former Indian head coach Shastri presented Suryakumar with his debut Test cap while veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara inducted Bharat into the red-ball side of the Asian giants. Welcoming Suryakumar and Bharat into the purest format of the game in the international arena, Indian head coach Dravid delivered a stirring speech for the debutants at Nagpur.
“Always a special day when a couple of more boys join our family. It’s obviously a huge dream come true for millions of people. And there haven’t been many people who had the pleasure and privilege of having a Test cap and playing Test cricket for India,” Dravid welcomed Suryakumar and Bharat into the Test side of the Indian team ahead of the series opener.
“Surya, many congratulations. Wear this with pride and honour and remember that every time you step out for your country – You have reached here not with anybody’s help. You have reached here because of what you have done. The way you performed over the last few months. So enjoy, your game should not change. Just because of this stamp ‘Test match cricket’. You play the way you play and treat it as another game. Enjoy yourself and entertain,” Shastri said as the former Indian head coach handed SKY his debut Test cap.
While Suryakumar replaced injured battter Shreyas Iyer in the Indian middle-order, Bharat was roped into the Test side after wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was ruled out of the entire series following a tragic car accident.
“You have worked really hard to earn this. Wish you all the very best, be yourself. Play the way you do and wish you all the very best for a successful Test career,” Pujara motivated Bharat prior to his Test debut.
Bharat had donned the gloves for Team India in place of Wriddhiman Saha during a 2021 Test match against New Zealand on Day 3 after the veteran wicketkeeper had suffered stiffness in his neck. Visitors Australia handed out debut cap to youngster spinner Todd Murphy in Nagpur. Veteran spinner Nathan Lyon gave the Baggy Green to Murphy prior to the start of the 1st Test in Nagpur. Winning the battle of debutants in Nagpur, spinner Murphy removed Bharat for 8 off 10 balls on Day 2 of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener. The Australian debutant bagged a historic five-wicket haul against India on the second day of the Nagpur Test.