Rahul Dravid not only proved to be a pro at the gentleman's game but also showed time and again that he is a 'gentleman'. His latest gesture of refusing the extra bonus of Rs 2.5 crore, which is half the prize money allotted for him is an example of this.
BCCI announced that Dravid will be paid Rs 5 crore while other coaches in the team were to be given Rs 2.5 crore. However, he wanted equal pay for all the coaches including batting coach Vikram Rathore, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey and fielding coach T. Dilip.
As Dravid wins people's hearts with his courageous gesture, here are earlier instances when he won over fans.
On the left, Rahul Dravid waits in the queue at a Bengaluru polling booth during the Lok Sabha polls. On the right, he is seen seated at the last row during a book launch event | X
U-19 World Cup
Dravid took a similar stance when he was the head coach during the U-19 World Cup victory. He was to be paid Rs 50 lakh while other support staff were paid Rs 20 lakh each and the players Rs 30 lakh. However, he refused the unequal pay forcing BCCI to change its decision.
Rejecting honorary doctorate
In 2017, Dravid rejected an honorary doctorate conferred by the Bangalore University. If you think this was a sweet gesture, what he said back then was even more adorable. He said he wanted to research in the field of sports and earn a doctorate degree.
Standing in queue
Dravid was seen patiently waiting in queues several times and sitting at the last row, without seeking attention or any "do you know who I am" attitude. Dravid won hearts during the Lok Sabha elections on April 26 when he was seen standing in queue like a common man at a polling booth in Bengaluru.
Seated at last row
In May 2022, Dravid was seen sitting at the last row with the public at the launch of former cricketer G.R. Vishwanath's book 'Wrist Assured'
A humble parent
In November 2017, Rahul was seen standing in queue with his children at a science exhibition. Social media users were quick to praise the cricketer for his 'no show off' attitude.
