'I'd love to have a night out with you' - Allan Donald apologises to Rahul Dravid for sledging him in 1997

Bangladesh bowling coach and South Africa great Allan Donald issued a public apology to India head coach Rahul Dravid over the sledging row of 1997. Donald also invited the former India batter over dinner to sort out his differences.

The incident between the two occurred during an ODI between India and South Africa in Durban. During the Indian batting innings, Dravid, who usually liked to rotate strike, took the front seat and targeted the likes of Shaun Pollock, Donald and Rudi Bryson all over the ground. Donald sledged Dravid back then and has expressed deep regret over the incident now.

"There was one ugly incident in Durban that I don't want to talk about. He (Rahul Dravid) and Sachin were smoking us to all parts. I overstepped the mark a little bit. I've just nothing but massive respect for Rahul. I would like to go out and sit with Rahul and say sorry to him again about what happened that day. I just had to do something silly that brought his wicket actually. But I still apologise for what I said that day. What a guy, what a great bloke. So, Rahul, if you are listening. I would love to have a night out with you," said Donald in an interview with Sony Sports Network as quoted by HT.

The India head coach, who was shown Donald’s message in a separate interview, shared that he would gladly accept the invitation in a classic response.  "Absolutely, I look forward to it, especially if he is paying," said Dravid jokingly.

Speaking of Dravid, he is currently with the Indian team in Bangladesh where rhe visitors have locked horns with the hosts in the first of the two-match Test series in Chattogram. The KL Rahul-led side managed a comeback in the innings after losing wickets early on in the contest and scored 278/6 on Day 1 courtesy of half-centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and Shreyas Iyer.