Rahul Dravid declines Rs 2.5 crore additional bonus from BCCI, insists on equal share with support staff: Report

Outgoing India head coach Rahul Dravid has reportedly refused to take an extra Rs 2.5 crore prize money offered to him by BCCI compared to other coaching staff members for winning the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Read: Gautam Gambhir appointed Team India head coach

While batting coach Vikram Rathore, bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, and fielding coach T Dilip have been rewarded Rs 2.5 crore each, head coach Dravid was set to receive Rs 5 crore, but the batting great has decided to take only Rs 2.5 crore prize money, same as his supporting staff.

“Rahul wanted the same bonus money (Rs 2.5 crore) as the rest of his support staff (bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, fielding coach T Dilip and batting coach Vikram Rathore). We respect his sentiments,” a BCCI source told Hindustan Times.

The highest prize money of Rs 5 crore was awarded only to the 15 players from the main India squad and Dravid. The supports staff will receive Rs 2.5 crore each while the selectors will get Rs 1 crore each.

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Dravid has a history of doing something similar in the past. After he guided the Indian Under-19 side to the World Cup win in 2018, Dravid was awarded Rs 50 lakh while other support staff members were to get Rs 20 lakh each and Rs 30 lakh for each player.

Dravid refused the formula proposed by BCCI and insisted that everyone must be awarded equally.

Eventually, every member of the coaching staff including Dravid was awarded Rs 25 lakh each.

BCCI pays tribute

Dravid's tenure as India's head coach officially ended on Tuesday as Gautam Gambhir took over. In a media release, BCCI paid glowing tribute to Dravid for his contribution.

"The Board would like to take this opportunity to express its heartfelt gratitude to Mr Dravid for his outstanding service as Head Coach. Dravid’s tenure was marked by significant achievements; the most noteworthy being crowned champions of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, 2024. Team India also finished as runners-up in the ICC 50-over World Cup, 2023 hosted in India & the ICC World Test Championship in 2023 hosted in England," BCCI said.

"Apart from the team’s dominance in bilateral series at home, Dravid’s dedication to nurturing young talent and instilling discipline and sportsmanship in the team has been exemplary."