India Coach Rahul Dravid pre-match press conference ahead of match against the Netherlands
[Reporter:]
So that we go well prepared into the semi’s.
[Rahul Dravid:]
I think just taking the box off, I think what we've been doing really well, which is I think we've maintained some really high standards. In terms of our execution, our intensity and I think it's just continuing on that. On that journey so. I think when we when we started off and I think I answered this question, I think it was your question only in Chennai, that we'd be playing in nine cities and nine venues. And I think we've travelled the length and breadth of this country and played in eight venues. And this is our ninth venue. And I think what this team has done really well is it has really represented India fantastically. It's played a really good brand of cricket. And we've done that in eight venues. And this is a really great venue. Even if I say so. I certainly think it is. As do a lot of other people. To be honest, there in our team it's a truly for passionate crowd and a great venue to play cricket in. And we would like to do the same. We know we have nine boxes to tick, and we've ticked eight. And we would certainly like to put on another really good display, do our best. It's all we can ask for and hope for from the boys. And hopefully, if we do our best, then the results will look after themselves.
[Reporter:]
A team like Netherlands, which has impressed everybody, how do you see them? Especially when you take on the mindset and all those things come into play.
[Rahul Dravid:]
Yeah, very impressive. I think we're very impressed with the way they have played in this tournament. The effort that they've gone through to be able to qualify. I have some, I wouldn't say first-hand experience, but I certainly know how difficult it is for associate teams to be able to reach this level and play. Having spent some time in Scotland myself in the early part of the - in early 2000, spent some time there and I know things have improved for the Associates since then. Certainly, over the last 20 years, the ICC has done a very good job of trying to improve their standards and try to give their players the same amount of opportunities. Of course, it's never going to be the same. The kind of professional setups now of some of the more established teams. But certainly, I think the performances of teams like Netherlands certainly go a long way in boosting the morale of the lot of the other associate nations that they can certainly compete that they've got some very good players. And it's quite inspiring to see that in spite of the challenges that they do face that they're able to compete at this level to play at this level.
So yeah, it's been great to see the way they've performed. I know they'll be well prepared, well coached cricket team. And we're looking forward to playing.
[Reporter:]
You're playing such a pressure-filled tournament at home. So, Rohit, has always been cool, calm, composed on the field. And now, you've been together for a long time. How do you see his captaincy?
[Rahul Dravid:]
Rohit has certainly been a leader, you know, without a doubt. I think he's led by example both on and off the field. Some of the starts that he's given us, the way he's cracked open games for us. A lot of times people have looked at one, I mean, I can't go into the specific games, I'm sure that you will be able to look into it, but there have been some games where it could have been tricky for us, but the fact that he's been able to get us to those kinds of starts has literally cracked open the game. So, in the end, it's actually looked easy, but on reflection as a coaching staff, when we looked at it, we've realized the impact that meetings like that of his innings have had on games like that, that have made it look easy for us and certainly made it easier for the guys who followed in that department.
So, I think he's been fantastic, which is his batting, the leadership that he's shown and taking on the game, in leading from the front. We've talked about playing in a particular way. You cannot do that unless your leader really buys in and actually shows by example. And it's been terrific to see the way Rohit's done that. And I think his captaincy has obviously been fantastic as well. It's been very good for a long time. He's someone who's certainly got the respect of the group and the team. Certainly, got the respect of our coaching staff. And it's been a pleasure to see him operate the way he has, both on and off the field, like I said. And I think he's truly someone who's, you know, deserves all the success that he's been getting. And hopefully it may continue.
[Reporter:]
Rahul, this is the last league game and India is assured of a top finish. Is there a possibility of giving a chance to the guys who haven't played much in the tournament? Or do you want to maintain the same 11 and take on the intensity to the semi-final?
[Rahul Dravid:]
I mean, honestly, we've had six days off from the last game. So, we're pretty well rested and the guys are in good shape. That's all I'll say without giving away the level. So, we've had six days off, we've got one game before the semi-final. Boys are rested. So that's all I'll say.
[Reporter:]
The bowlers have enjoyed bowling under the lights. Like going into the semi-final, would you prefer having them bowl first over here and just to get accost to the conditions of the Wankhede?
[Rahul Dravid:]
We've done both things. To be honest with you, we bowled first. We batted first in this tournament. I think that's been the really good thing for us in eight games. I think in the first four or five, I think we batted first and then we had to chase in the last three. So, we've actually done both things and we're pretty comfortable with both things. So, I'm not too worried about it. We'll have a look at the wicket and see what we need to do and decide what we want to do. So, there are advantages and disadvantages of both things. I mean, there are arguments both ways of, you know, batting first and putting up a score and hopefully setting the tone that way. And there's also an argument of chasing as well, which means that you probably have to bowl in the sun and stuff. But look, again, the toss is not in our hands, it’s not going to be in our hands in the semi-finals. And I think we are comfortable both ways. We will just make it. We will have a look at the wicket today and come tomorrow and have a look at the wicket as well. And then, you know, whatever call Rohit makes, we will go with it.
[Reporter:]
You said you can make your own inferences. But I am just saying, how do you balance somebody like Prasit who has just come into the side, hasn't had a lot of cricket in the recent past. So, how do you balance that between sticking to the guys who have rested and who have done the job for you so far and keeping him ready in case the need might arise at some stage?
[Rahul Dravid:]
To be honest with you, you're at a pointy end in a tournament now. So now at this stage it's about just focusing on getting the guys who you think are going to be playing in the 11 in the best possible space mentally and physically to be able to play that semifinal and hopefully the final if we if we earn it. So that will be the single pointed thinking it's not about there are times there are times for larger picture thinking and there are times for narrow focus thinking in my opinion and now's the time for sure narrow focus thinking if everyone is fit.
[Reporter:]
Just a question on the middle order. They have done well this World Cup. Two, three games we saw where they stepped out well. So, a word on the middle order.
[Rahul Dravid:]
Yeah, it's terrific. I mean, I think again, I answered this question if I remember in Chennai. And I said that, middle orders in one-day cricket, somebody asked me about and I said middle orders are going to be very, very important in a tournament like this. You know, they're going to, how well your middle order performs in sometimes very tricky conditions and challenging situations under pressure, is actually going to probably decide how well you do. While our top orders also performed exceptionally well. I think our middle orders played very critical roles. Sometimes you can't judge them by sheer numbers. It's obvious that when you look at a leaderboard of scores and runs, it'll always be someone in the top three. I mean, it's pretty obvious. You look at that whole board and It's all filled with guys from any country who are in the top three. So that only gives you one half of the picture, but it's actually some of those 30s, 40s, critical knocks. I can look back on this whole campaign and look at the contributions of our middle order and they'll come only in sort of spurts, or one knock here, or two knocks there, and somebody done something there, or a Shreyas, or a KL, or a Surya's knock here, and Jaddu's important knock in Dharamshala. And you can look at a lot of these small, small things, and actually that's what really gives you those ticks, or gives you those wins at the end of the day. So, it's a combination of things. And touchwood, our mid-lord has been truly exceptional in this tournament.
[Reporter:]
You mentioned Shreyas just now. And you know, there's a lot spoken about him externally, of course. I'm sure not within the team. After those couple of dismissals, playing the pull-shot and stuff. But then he has come back and he has played two fantastic knocks since then. What does he bring to the table that makes him such a special player at that no. 4 spot?
[Rahul Dravid:]
He brings temperament. I think one of the things Shreyas has shown us is right from the time that I have seen him as sort of an India A, he came and played India A when I was coaching those days. And I think one of the things that's really stood out about me is his temperament, the way he handles success, failure. You just look at even some of his knocks under pressure, how he's able to actually bring the best out of himself under those pressure situations. So, it's about, you can go on about, everyone will have areas that they need to work on and need to improve, it's not - someone might have some other area, there's no complete batsman who can say that I can, I know everything or I'm very good at everything? I mean, it's, you know, you always going to need areas to improve. But in the end of the day, you have to be judged by the results you produce. And the runs you score and when you score them. And I think Shreyas, one of the things that does stand out. Look at some of his test innings, look at how he started his test debut. Look at some of the critical knocks he's played for us. Even in the two years that I've been here, I mean, Bangladesh, you know that game, under extreme pressure, who's the guy who stands up? Ash and Shreyas, guys like that who incredible temperament, incredible strength of mind, and I think that's, that’s what has held him in really good stead. He's terrific temperamentally. So, when someone like him does well, you know he's going to make big contributions. It may not always work out, but when it does, you know someone like him is going to make a big play.
[Reporter:]
You mentioned associate cricket a little earlier. Do you think more can be done outside of ICC events in terms of giving them opportunities, perhaps through the A team or some similar programs?
[Rahul Dravid:]
Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't go know the exact details of how to go about it in a press conference like this, but certainly you know, I think. And I think it's really good. I mean, it's heartening to see. I think the next 2020 World Cup had 20 teams participating in it. Cricket is in the Olympics as well in 2028, So crickets in the Olympics as well. So, I think these are really good signs that show that, we're trying to embrace more teams into it. It's complex, it's not easy. I mean, there are only 365 days in the year, there's so much of cricket being played. It's becoming harder even for, I mean, I know how tough our schedules are and it's very hard for normal, the more established teams or the more, the sort of the non-associate teams itself to be able to fit in time and calendar to play each other. You know, to find that balance. Yeah. But, you know, like you said, maybe the route is to go down 18 cricket. And then these specific tournaments like this, their qualifiers, their tournaments, like having 20 people in a T20 World Cup, Olympics. So, I think it's growing, and it's good to see that it's going in the right direction, I think.
[Reporter:]
A word about the 4 to 5 injured players. They were injured two to three months before the World Cup. They have managed to hit the ground running and also a word on the NCA itself and how they have managed this quick turnaround.
[Rahul Dravid:]
Yeah so, I think that's been a really good thing for us. Obviously, a lot of thought and planning has gone into it. Yeah, I think you need, so there's a combination of things. And these things, you need a little bit of luck as well. You know, you need a bit of luck to go your way. Unfortunately, we've had, I think it's been great for us to have those guys back fit and ready for this tournament, you know, just in time for this tournament. Our margins were tight, our lines were tight. You know, we knew that some of them would be coming in just at the Asia Cup and prior to this tournament. So, we had to make some contingency plans. We looked at other stuff. But the fact that they were able to come in into this tournament is a tribute and to their own efforts and hard work, the efforts of the NCA, the physios, the trainers at the NCA for ensuring that, we stuck to those timelines and managed to hit those timelines as soon as we could. And a little bit of luck as well. You know, you need a little bit of luck in these things. Sometimes they go this way. Sometimes they go that way, knowing that three weeks here, four weeks here, and you can lose a player. So, it's a combination of all of those things. But, yeah, I think when you're playing big tournaments like this, you want your best players playing. Unfortunately, at the T20 World Cup, we probably didn't have a little bit of that luck, especially when you lose players like Bumrah and Jaddu. At the World Test Championship, we missed a couple of guys. Even here, to be honest, we have missed a couple of guys, one before the tournament and one during the tournament. But we've been able to respond really well so far. And I think that's been, again, something I'm very proud of.
We had a balance. We knew what a balance is. We've structured the whole thing around certain things. But when that hasn't happened, we've had the ability, the skill, and the mental fortitude to be able to bounce back and to be able to still compete and do really well.
So yeah, I think credit to the guys, credit to, like I said, I think even the NCA for all the work that they do. A lot of the stuff is behind the scenes. People don't get to see it. People don't see it. And there's a, it's not easy. Some of these things to get people right in professional sport. Sometimes people think, oh, it's easy to get injured players playing. Again, it's not that simple. You know, it's easy to get people playing when you have an injury in normal life and getting back on the park and getting back to normal office work is easy, but getting back to people to professional sport is not easy. So well done to everyone so far.
[Reporter:]
There's just a two-day gap after tomorrow's match before the semi-final. In terms of the mindset, is a shift required in terms of when a team is playing a knockout game? Does that require a mindset shift? And if yes, how do the players approach that?
[Rahul Dravid:]
Not really. I mean, I think we just want to focus one game at a time. You still have to play good cricket, whether you're playing in a league game, as we've done, or whether you've got to play a semi-final. I mean, you've just got certain skills you've got to execute, and execute really well and execute better than the opposition.
You just got to focus on that, focus on what you can control, which is your skills, your ability. Prepare yourself both mentally, physically as best as you can for the game. And then and then just play that game and try and do the best in that particular game.
[Reporter:]
Recently we have seen a few incidents which has again created a lot of debate, especially on the other side of the ground. Playing with the spirit of cricket and maintaining the rule of cricket. So, there is a lot of debate on this. So, just wanted to know your view or the views of the players, those who perform on the field. How they take on a situation like this? Especially, you have been, during your playing career, you have been a part of a situation where MS Dhoni you recalled Ian Bell. So, under these circumstances, how do players think?
[Rahul Dravid:]
So, I think like you just said yourself, everyone thinks differently. We are all unique creatures and we have our own minds and our own thoughts. And the players will be the same. Each one of us will think differently about a particular situation. And there is no real right and wrong. You can go and debate both the situations. You can debate whether we have to stick to the rules as they are. Or you have to sometimes give a little leeway for a little bit of spirit of cricket. And there'll be people on both sides of the camp. And I think just understanding that it's okay to have those differences is fine. It's fine to have those differences and some people might agree or not agree with certain decisions that were taken. Others will say no it's in the rules so I'm allowed to do it and that's the way it is you know you can't - when someone wants to take the letter of the rule law to the last nth degree, I don't think you can complain about it because honestly, he's just following the rules as he sees it.
Yeah, I mean, you might not do it yourself. I mean, you know, we might not do it, but you can't blame somebody for following it because you put that in place and you have to give scope for that level of understanding of somebody. Whether you choose to do it or not is completely your decision.
