Keeping his word, Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid has ensured that all support staff of the U-19 team gets an equal cash incentive for the team’s triumph at the recently concluded U-19 World Cup, reports The Indian Express.
This also meant that the sum also reached the family of a coach who had passed away months before the team embarked on its journey to New Zealand to play the World Cup.
In a great display of character, Dravid had expressed his displeasure over the disparity in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) awards after India won the first ICC U-19 World Cup earlier this month.
The former Indian skipper and current U-19 coach had objected to him being awarded a cash prize of Rs 50 lakh, while his support staff was awarded Rs 20 lakh each.
Not stopping at that Dravid took it to the Board and asked that this be rectified.
It is now being learnt that 'The Wall' as he is popularly known has given up half of his cash prize to ensure that everybody in the coaching staff was paid an equal sum.
Not only those travelling with the squad, Dravid also called for awarding those under whom the team led by Prithvi Shaw had trained.
“From the time the award was announced, Dravid wasn’t happy with him getting much more than others. He informed the Board that he felt that every member had played an equal role in the team winning the World Cup. It surprised many in the BCCI that he was ready to take a cut in his own earning,” a board member had said.
Soon after the team had won the tournament, Dravid refused to take credit and told the media, “It’s a bit embarrassing at times because I tend to get a lot of attention and focus, but it is really about the support staff and the quality of people that we’ve had. I don’t want to mention names but everyone in the support staff has put in a great effort. We do the best for the kids,”
The cricketing legend had shocked many by turning down a big-money contract by the Indian Premier League in favour of training the U-19 and India A team.