Rahul Dravid Reveals How Shubman Gill’s Name Haunted Him Before 2018 WC
Rahul Dravid recalls being bombarded with Shubman Gill’s name before coaching him, while praising India’s endless stream of talent.
Rahul Dravid has seen Indian cricket from every angle – as a legendary batter, a calm captain, and later as a mentor and coach. His journey with the India Under-19 and A teams produced a new generation of stars, and among those names, one came up more than any other – Shubman Gill.
Speaking on R Ashwin’s YouTube show Kutti Stories, Dravid recalled how Gill’s reputation preceded him even before their first meeting.
“Shubman Gill was the obvious one, along with Prithvi Shaw. Many people discovered Shubman Gill. Because everywhere I went, all I heard was Shubman Gill, whoa, this player Shubman Gill,” Dravid said with a smile.
He explained that by the time Gill came under his guidance, several coaches and scouts had already sung praises about the youngster.
“Before I actually saw Shubman Gill, about six people had told me there’s this kid called Shubman Gill, and that he’s a very good player,” Dravid added.
That faith proved right as Gill went on to play a crucial role in India’s Under-19 World Cup triumph in 2018, under captain Prithvi Shaw, with Dravid as coach.
But Dravid made it clear that Indian cricket’s talent pool is far bigger than one name.
“I can’t say one. That would be very unfair,” he said when asked about standout players. He remembered spotting Rishabh Pant, Khaleel Ahmed, and Sanju Samson early in their careers, along with Riyan Parag. “When I saw Rishabh for the first time, I knew this guy was something different,” Dravid said.
He added that the real “wow” factor came not from a single player but from the constant stream of talent emerging through India’s cricket system.
“Even now, when you are at IPL trials and see new kids coming through, it’s just incredible to see where all this talent is coming from,” he said.
For Dravid, coaching was as much about shaping stars like Gill as it was about appreciating the sheer depth of Indian cricket. And while Shubman Gill’s name may have echoed the loudest, Dravid insists the real story is the system that continues to produce players who make fans and coaches go, “Wow.”
