Former India Coach Urges Young Players to Focus on Personal Growth Alongside Skill Development
New Delhi, May 18 – Former India captain and head coach Rahul Dravid has offered a powerful message to aspiring cricketers: self-awareness is as vital as cricketing skill in achieving success.Currently associated with Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after guiding India to a T20 World Cup title, Dravid appeared on the latest episode of 'Halla Bol' on JioHotstar. During the conversation, he emphasized the importance of understanding oneself beyond the cricket field.
"Just being good at cricket and just practising cricket will of course get you a certain distance," Dravid said. "But the really good players, great players that I have had the privilege of working with or sharing the dressing room with, one of the common things I see in all of them is that they truly know who they are as people."
India’s second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket stressed that personal growth is essential for unlocking a player's full potential.
"If you know who you are as a person and grow as a person, you give yourself the best chance to maximise your potential," he added.
Dravid, often revered for his calm demeanor and focus, noted that raw talent alone is not enough.
"You have been given a talent to become the best cricketer you can be. You also need to grow as a person and understand yourself both on and off the field to maximise that potential," he explained.
He also discouraged comparisons with others, highlighting the importance of individuality.
"It's individual, you can't judge yourself with other people, compare yourself with other people. Your job is to get the best out of yourself and the gifts you have been given. That will only come with growing both as a cricketer on the field and as a person off it," said Dravid.
The veteran's insights serve as an inspiring roadmap for young players seeking a balanced path to professional cricket.
