Watch: Rahul Dravid's Surprise Message Makes Gautam Gambhir Emotional Ahead Of 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka

As Gautam Gambhir begins his journey as Team India's new head coach, a surprise message awaited him ahead of the first T20I against Sri Lanka. In a video shared by the BCCI, Gambhir received a message from his predecessor, Rahul Dravid, who shared his learnings, lessons, and expectations from the man who stepped into his shoes. In an emotional message, Dravid welcomed Gambhir to the 'most exciting job in the world', while also recalling the emphatic fashion in which he ended his stint as the head coach of the Indian team by winning the T20 World Cup 2024 title.

"Hello, Gautam, and welcome to the most exciting job in our world as coach of the Indian cricket team. It's been three weeks since I ended my stint with the Indian team in a manner that was beyond my dreams, both in Barbados, and then a few days later on that unforgettable evening in Mumbai. More than anything else, I will treasure the memories and friendships I made in my time with the squad. As you take over the role of India Coach, it is what I wish for you as well. I also hope that you'll have the availability of fully fit players in every squad. Good luck with that.

"I also wish you that little bit of luck. As you know, that all of us coaches need to make us look a little bit wiser and smarter than we actually are. As your teammate, I saw you giving it your all on the field. As your batting partner and fellow fielder, I saw your resilience and your refusal to surrender. Across many IPL seasons, I noted your desire to win, your assistance to work with younger players, and your drive to extract the best out of your team on the field," Dravid said.

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Rahul Dravid #TeamIndia | #SLvIND | @GautamGambhir pic.twitter.com/k33X5GKHm0

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