India Coach Rahul Dravid Defends Experiments and Rest Decision in West Indies ODI Series
India’s head coach Rahul Dravid has come forward to defend the team’s decision to experiment with different combinations in the ongoing ODI series against West Indies. He also explained the call to rest captain Rohit Sharma and experienced player Virat Kohli in the second match, which resulted in a loss for India.
Dravid stated that the team wanted to give fringe players like Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, and Suryakumar Yadav a chance to showcase their skills ahead of the upcoming Asia Cup and ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. With a month left before the Asia Cup, the team is running out of time to make crucial decisions, especially considering the injuries some players have at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
The coach emphasized the importance of providing game time to these players in case they are needed in a worst-case scenario. Dravid believed that playing with the regulars, Rohit and Kohli, wouldn’t have provided enough answers about the potential replacements. Hence, the decision was made to give opportunities to others.
Throughout the series, India has been experimenting not only with the batting order but also with the middle order. Ishan Kishan has been opening the innings with Shubman Gill and has been the only Indian batsman to perform consistently, scoring back-to-back half-centuries.
Dravid mentioned that the focus of the team is on the bigger picture, considering the upcoming Asia Cup and World Cup. The coach acknowledged that they cannot dwell on every match or series and need to look at the overall development of the players and team.
In the second match, India struggled on a difficult batting pitch in Bridgetown, losing wickets in quick succession after a good start provided by Gill and Kishan. Ultimately, they fell short of a competitive total, and Dravid admitted that the team was 50 to 60 runs shy of a good score.
Questions have also been raised about Suryakumar Yadav’s performance in 50-over cricket, as he has yet to make a significant impact in the series. However, Dravid stressed the importance of giving players like Yadav a fair chance to prove themselves.
As the series hangs in the balance going into the third ODI, Dravid is more focused on the experimentations and giving opportunities to players rather than the result itself. The coach believes that this series served as the last chance to assess the players before important tournaments like the Asia Cup and World Cup.
In conclusion, Rahul Dravid has defended the team’s decision to experiment extensively with the line-up and rest key players in the West Indies ODI series. He highlighted the importance of giving opportunities to fringe players and assessing their potential ahead of upcoming tournaments. Despite the mixed results, Dravid remains focused on the bigger picture and the long-term development of the team.
