Rohit Sharma makes 'second' debut with Rahul Dravid around

INDIA started their T20 international series against New Zealand at home on Wednesday (17) with two new faces in important positions. Ace opener Rohit Sharma made his debut as a full-fledged captain succeeding Virat Kohli who stepped down from captaincy in the shortest format after the T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates recently while former India captain Rahul Dravid took over as the head coach of the Indian national team replacing Ravi Shastri.

The partnership between Sharma and Dravid did not start for the first time on Wednesday. Both recalled at a press conference that in 2007, when India played Ireland, Sharma made his international debut under the captaincy of Dravid.

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Sharma, who was 20 then, did not get to bat in his first match and could score only eight in the second match that India played against South Africa at the same venue three days later. He came at No.7 to bat at that match. He also bowled one over in which he gave three runs. The national captaincy went to Mahendra Singh Dhoni thereafter but Sharma’s starting moment with Dravid was registered in history.

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Fourteen years later, when Sharma started as a full-time India captain in T20Is, the beginning saw the presence of Dravid once again.

Since his ordinary debut in the limited-over format, Sharma has gone on to become one of India’s greatest batters in white-ball cricket while Dravid, after achieving the heights in batting, has excelled as a coach who has guided India’s junior team to win the World Cup.

Speaking at a press conference over his old association with Sharma, Dravid said, “We were talking about it yesterday on the bus. I guess time flies, doesn't it? I actually remember Rohit even before the Ireland series when we were playing a challenger in Madras.

“We all knew that Rohit was going to be special. We could just see that he was a very very special talent that I wouldn't, so many years later, be working with him that I never thought about or envisaged ... but honestly, the way he has grown as a leader and as a person over these last 14 years now. What he’s achieved both as an Indian player and as a leader for the Mumbai Indians has been phenomenal.

“Having to carry the legacy of obviously Mumbai cricket and Indian cricket is not an easy one and he’s done it with a lot of grace and class.”

Sharma said, “It was way back in 2007 when I was selected, but the first time I had the opportunity to interact with him was in Bangalore at a camp. It was a very brief chat and I was actually kind of very nervous and I never used to talk so much even with my age group of people, so leave alone these guys at that point.

So I was just quietly doing my things and getting a move on with my game. But yeah, in Ireland the first time when he came and told me that you will be playing this game I was on the moon that, obviously, it felt like a dream to be part of the dressing room.

“It’s been a long way since then. I have cherished all the moments that I’ve spent playing for India and also for my franchisee, Mumbai Indians. And we look forward to many more,” he added.