“I heard some conversations…”: Rahul Dravid on including cricket in the Olympics

A fervent supporter of cricket’s inclusion in the Olympics, the legendary Rahul Dravid said on Sunday that the players are excited and that he has heard “serious talk in the dressing room” about competing in the world’s biggest sporting event. Dravid is in the French capital to take part in a panel discussion on the topic “Cricket at the Olympics: Dawn of a New Era”, celebrating the sport’s inclusion in the 2028 Los Angeles Games. “I’ve already heard some conversations in the dressing room. People they are talking about the 2026 T20 World Cup, there is an ODI World Cup in 2027 and you hear people saying there will be the Olympics in 2028,” Dravid said during the discussion.

“People will want to win that gold medal, stand on the podium, be part of the Games Village, a major sporting event, and interact with so many athletes.

“As you get closer, I have no doubt that teams will be preparing and testing the facilities. They will take it seriously and the players will fight tooth and nail to be there,” he added.

The great batsman was joined by ICC CEO Geoff Allardice during the discussion at India House here.

“You grow up watching the Olympics, watching Carl Lewis win the gold medal, watching great athletes perform. You always want to be part of big events like this. The environment, the energy – it’s a dream come true.” Dravid expected India to win men’s and women’s gold medals at the Los Angeles Games.

“For me, the dream is to have a fantastic cricket tournament, I hope Indian men and women win gold, which would be good.

“But I wish more than that for everyone here… Many Indian fans could come to Los Angeles and support cricket and show the rest of the world how great and great the sport of cricket is,” he said.

“Unfortunately I won’t be able to play, but I will make every effort to be in Los Angeles one way or another. If nothing else, I will try to get a job in the media,” joked Dravid, who has finished his term. as India’s coach following their recent T20 World Cup triumph.

The men’s and women’s cricket competitions will take place simultaneously at the Los Angeles Olympics.

Advocates 10:30am kickoff for US T20 World Cup games

Moving on to a different topic, Dravid defended the timing of T20 World Cup matches in the US, saying he was fine with the 10:30 am start.

Dravid coached India to their first ICC title in 11 years in the tournament jointly organized by the USA and West Indies, where the knockout matches were played.

The US, hosting a cricket match for the first time, was seen as a springboard for building a fan base in the region ahead of the Olympics.

But to cater to the large audience in the subcontinent, all of India’s matches were played from 10:30 am onwards, which attracted some criticism.

“Honestly, I don’t think starting at 10.30am was a problem for me. We are in the entertainment business, which caters to people who want to watch sport. I had absolutely no problem with it,” Dravid said.

The former Indian player said the early start actually ensured balance for both teams.

“As a coach, the conditions were quite even because dew becomes a factor in many day and night games. Throwing can become a big factor, as we saw in Australia. it was a draw for both teams.

“From a coach’s point of view, I didn’t mind the 10:30 game.

“Yes, in terms of facilities, it is a challenge. But if you want to grow the sport and make it a global game, then you have to be at events like this and make concessions, even if it means playing at odd times and under conditions that may not necessarily be perfect.

“It was a great effort by the ICC to bring the game to the US and expose the game to that audience. There is a huge passion for the game in the US. It was great to play in the US; some of the games were packed.” As far as Allardice is concerned, he said cricket will be one of the “stars” of Los Angeles four years from now.

“It’s quite surreal to be here in Paris, seeing the energy around the sport and how it’s coming together. Cricket is starting to emerge in the global sporting community.

“I think cricket will be one of the main attractions in Los Angeles.

“Just getting to know some of the sports of the last few days, when you see global stars from the big sports around the world competing in one city at a time – watching Rafael Nadal in tennis this afternoon – and then if you’re in L.A., you can watch to the best tennis players, the best golfers and the best cricketers We will be very, very strong in 2028,” he said.

Women’s cricket is moving forward

Dravid said women’s cricket is progressing well and the increased participation of young players is making the sport more inclusive and attractive.

“Women’s cricket is already moving forward. I don’t think it needs anything more. It’s fantastic that it’s happening simultaneously. Even when you talk to people at the grassroots, to coaches, one of the things they constantly say is the level of girls’ participation.

“Every year, in all academies, the percentage is growing exponentially, sometimes even more than that of boys. Cricket is becoming much more inclusive and attractive. This could potentially be a career. Wouldn’t you have said that five or six years ago. That’s what we want to see.” PTI TAP TAP AH AH

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