"There have been probably 6 captains in the last 8 months I've had to work with" : Rahul Dravid

[MenInG]

"There have been probably 6 captains in the last 8 months I've had to work with" : Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid had taken over the reins of Team India after the T20 World Cup in UAE and under his tenure, the Men in Blue defeated New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and West Indies in white-ball series, while the T20I series against South Africa ended in a 2-2 draw, with the final match abandoned due to rain. However, disappointment was on offer when Team India lost the away Test and ODI series against South Africa earlier this year. Before the start of the fifth T20I against the Proteas in Bengaluru, Dravid opened up on his coaching stint with the senior side so far, and made a hilarious remark in the process.

"It has been quite exciting, it has been good fun. The journey has been challenging as well, there have been probably six captains in the last eight months that I have had to work with, which was probably not the plan when I first started but the nature of COVID and the nature of a number of games we are playing," Dravid told host broadcaster Star Sports before the start of the fifth T20I.

"You know managing the squad, managing the workload of the players, and a few changes in captaincy as well so it has been meant that I have had to work with a few people, it has been challenging but been great fun as well," Dravid said.

"A lot of other guys have gotten opportunities to lead and to just create more leaders in the group for us. As a group, we are constantly learning, and have had the opportunity in the last 8-10 months to try out more people, which I think has been great. If I look back at the last 8 months, South Africa was a disappointment in terms of the Test series," he added.

Dravid had taken over from Ravi Shastri as the coach of the senior national side. Dravid's first assignment was the T20I series against New Zealand last year.

https://sports.ndtv.com/india-vs-so...uip-on-experience-as-team-india-coach-3082428

 

[Varun]

These silly T20s don't matter.

As long as Dravid can gear up the ODI and Test teams that will be fine.

 

[Ab Fan]

The final test vs England will be key for him.

 

[Ab Fan]

Who are those 6 captains?

Kohli
Rohit
Rahul
Pant
Dhawan( SL series)

That's five. Is he including Pandya now as he will captain vs Ireland?

 

[sweep_shot]

Since India play a lot of cricket, players have to be rotated to avoid injuries and burnouts. So, different captains is normal for a team like India. Also, it allows them to experiment.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Dravid’s problem is that he has taken over after a successful tenure of previous coach. However, the team at new coach’s disposal is no longer the same team it used to be - players are older, retiring, lost form or motivation. He has to rebuild. If he has taken over a team which was losing all the time, he would have time to rebuild. But Dravid has no such luxury.

This is the first in the line of explanations he will be giving in the coming days - “6-7 captains”, “injured players”, “too much cricket, not enough tests”, “no time to transition”, “too much travel”, “inexperienced players need time”, “too long IPL” etc.

All of these are right - but none of those will help him.

Unfortunately he has to start winning more than he is now, which is the expectation with Indian team. The England series is ready on a platter for him. He just has to get his team over the line.

 

[Savak]

Still maintain someone like Dravid is more effective and successful at the lower level with players still looking to make a name, still looking to learn, respect and listen. He will be out of his depth in an environment filled with Super stars Prima donnas.

 

[Savak]

Dravid’s problem is that he has taken over after a successful tenure of previous coach. However, the team at new coach’s disposal is no longer the same team it used to be - players are older, retiring, lost form or motivation. He has to rebuild. If he has taken over a team which was losing all the time, he would have time to rebuild. But Dravid has no such luxury.

This is the first in the line of explanations he will be giving in the coming days - “6-7 captains”, “injured players”, “too much cricket, not enough tests”, “no time to transition”, “too much travel”, “inexperienced players need time”, “too long IPL” etc.

All of these are right - but none of those will help him.

Unfortunately he has to start winning more than he is now, which is the expectation with Indian team. The England series is ready on a platter for him. He just has to get his team over the line.

Someone like Dravid is too much of a nice guy, professional humble to be in the face of his players and issue tough words to them. His career testifies to it. I don't think he can handle to senior national team, i forsee him stepping down eventually.

 

[JaDed]

Still maintain someone like Dravid is more effective and successful at the lower level with players still looking to make a name, still looking to learn, respect and listen. He will be out of his depth in an environment filled with Super stars Prima donnas.

Yes but not only because superstars also because he believes in the “process” than winning.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Pretty sure the worst captain out of all those was Rishabh Pant.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Well that's bound to happen when you make IPL one of your foremost priorities. And while international players can take games on the bench, the Indian players pretty much have to play every game.

I see this serving as a net negative for Indian cricket in the long-term. Especially when you have guys like Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul who have a history of struggling with injuries. A bloated IPL schedule is only going compound that. And it does not help either that one is captain while the other is vice-captain.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Players are human beings and not machines. Playing IPL for 2.5 months consecutively is utter madness. Besides holding the international calendar hostage, BCCI will ultimately be causing the most damage to themselves when their players will turn up injured for national duty. I know India has an abundance of talent and great bench strength but its wishful thinking to assume that Brisbane 2021 will happen every single time the main players are out.

But I guess when money is involved any semblance of common sense and logic goes right out of the window.

 

[hitthestump]

Well that's bound to happen when you make IPL one of your foremost priorities. And while international players can take games on the bench, the Indian players pretty much have to play every game.

I see this serving as a net negative for Indian cricket in the long-term. Especially when you have guys like Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul who have a history of struggling with injuries. A bloated IPL schedule is only going compound that. And it does not help either that one is captain while the other is vice-captain.

Given the IPL is soon to become even longer i'd be pretty certain that they know and don't care. This India team has failed to live up to their potential and the upcoming talent seems pretty average on the whole.

However, everyone is rich. That's clearly priority #1 right now and it's going pretty nicely.

 

[RedwoodOriginal]

Given the IPL is soon to become even longer i'd be pretty certain that they know and don't care. This India team has failed to live up to their potential and the upcoming talent seems pretty average on the whole.

However, everyone is rich. That's clearly priority #1 right now and it's going pretty nicely.

I think they are more than happy to cut their losses re: player injuries and workloads as long as they keep making money. I think it will probably take a few more performances like the one India gave at the last T20 World Cup for people in India to start talking about this more frequently. But even then I don't see the BCCI changing their ways. If anything, they will double down on this considering the fact that the brand value of the IPL only seems to be increasing.

 

[Buffet]

Players are human beings and not machines. Playing IPL for 2.5 months consecutively is utter madness. Besides holding the international calendar hostage, BCCI will ultimately be causing the most damage to themselves when their players will turn up injured for national duty. I know India has an abundance of talent and great bench strength but its wishful thinking to assume that Brisbane 2021 will happen every single time the main players are out.

But I guess when money is involved any semblance of common sense and logic goes right out of the window.

Money is going to dictate everything here. Test cricket will be the loser. International T-20 hardly matters and one day is kind of sidelined.

 

[Corridor of Uncertainty]

Someone like Dravid is too much of a nice guy, professional humble to be in the face of his players and issue tough words to them. His career testifies to it. I don't think he can handle to senior national team, i forsee him stepping down eventually.

Me too [MENTION=2501]Savak[/MENTION].

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Still maintain someone like Dravid is more effective and successful at the lower level with players still looking to make a name, still looking to learn, respect and listen. He will be out of his depth in an environment filled with Super stars Prima donnas.

Agree completely and I myself have said this multiple times here. India need a coach like Tom Moody not Dravid.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Players are human beings and not machines. Playing IPL for 2.5 months consecutively is utter madness. Besides holding the international calendar hostage, BCCI will ultimately be causing the most damage to themselves when their players will turn up injured for national duty. I know India has an abundance of talent and great bench strength but its wishful thinking to assume that Brisbane 2021 will happen every single time the main players are out.

But I guess when money is involved any semblance of common sense and logic goes right out of the window.

Especially when it is someone else's money lol. Most of these IPL fans will call you jealous now.

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

Money is going to dictate everything here. Test cricket will be the loser. International T-20 hardly matters and one day is kind of sidelined.

England will never let test cricket die.

 

[Ab Fan]

Pretty sure the worst captain out of all those was Rishabh Pant.

In terms of losing toss, based on the sample we have the answer is Yes.