‘Never imagined you’ll be head coach and I would…’: Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid recall 2011 West Indies tour

For just the second time in their history, Team India will be hosting a Test match at Windsor Park in Dominica as they prepare to face West Indies in the first Test of a two-match series, commencing later today. The last time these two teams clashed at this venue was in 2011, marking the inaugural Test between West Indies and India. Now, after a gap of 12 years, they are set to square off once again, with their previous encounter resulting in a draw.

It is worth noting that only one player from the current Indian team, the exceptional batsman Virat Kohli, remains from the squad that toured the Caribbean in 2011. Interestingly, it was at this very venue that Kohli made his Test debut a decade ago. At that time, Kohli had already established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the limited-overs format, but he had yet to don the white jersey for his country.

Fast forward 12 years, and Kohli will be participating in his 110th Test match, under the watchful guidance of India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid, who was once his teammate. This reunion between the two at Windsor Park adds an extra layer of significance to the upcoming contest.

In anticipation of the upcoming Test match, the duo took a moment to reminisce about their remarkable journey, fondly recalling the unforgettable moments from the 2011 tour.

When I came here back in 2011, it was very special for the island and the ground here,” Dravid said in a video posted by BCCI on Twitter.

“To come back here in a different capacity as a coach and to bring your team here, I think Virat was the only one who was there when we came here back in 2011,” he added.

“I remember Virat, it was his first Test series with the Indian team. He was this young kid who had done really well in One Day cricket and was just finding his feet a little bit in Test cricket, but you could see there was some special there. You could see he was going to be around for a while. How long though, you can never say, so I think he can be very proud of his journey,” the head coach continued.

“I certainly never thought I’d come here as a coach 10 years later, but it is nice to have seen that journey, seen him grow from being a youngster to a senior player on the trip,” he further stated.

“It has been great for me to see that journey and I think of myself as someone who is a young coach who is starting out his journey as well. So I think the tables have turned a little bit,” he joked.

Kohli also revisited the tour over a decade ago and narrated his experience of sharing the dressing room with Dravid.

“When we went to the dressing room and practice, I remember my first series here as a Test player and this is the place where it all started, The Caribbean,” the 34-year-old said.

“It is amazing to be able to come back here 12 years later having played more than 100 Test matches. I would never have imagined anything like this,” he added.

 – Team members

 – Head Coach & Batter

12 years on Rahul Dravid & Virat Kohli reminisce some special Dominica memories #TeamIndia | #WIvIND | @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/HRkBLS2Lam

— BCCI (@BCCI) July 12, 2023

Virat Kohli opened up on his chat with Dravid ahead of the Test opener. “It is quite amazing, I told Rahul Bhai as well yesterday, ‘I’m sure you would have never imagined that 12 years later we would come back to the same ground and you’d be the head coach and I would have played over a 100 games’. No one would have guessed that,” he revealed.

“So I’m just blessed that we are the only two members from the last trip still here in different capacities but, it is like life has come a full circle and the journeys have been quite amazing,” he concluded.

After experiencing heartbreak in the World Test Championship (WTC) final last month, Kohli and Team India are now preparing to embark on an exciting new journey.

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