Twenty20 triumph would inspire new generation: Dravid

BANGALORE: Former captain Rahul Dravid on Friday said India's triumph in the Twenty20 cricket World Cup came at the right time to inspire the new generation to perform and excel.

"Without heroes, without performances, the next generation are not inspired to perform," Dravid said at a felicitation function organised by Reebok for its ambassadors who were part of the winning Indian team.

The performance of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team, television coverage and scenes witnessed in Mumbai would inspire chirdren in India to perform.

"These are the images that we will carry forward in the next generation," he said adding one or the other player stood up when India faced a critical situation at the Twenty20 World Cup, and the team played with energy and great intensity.

Dravid said his generation of cricketers grew up watching the images of 1983 ODI World Cup when captain Dhoni was just two years old.

"For cricketers of my generation -- I was ten years old then -- that was a huge inspiration. We grew up watching the images of Kapil Dev lifting the World Cup Trophy," he said.