Rahul Dravid has replaced Ravi Shastri as the head coach for Team India after their disappointing exit from the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2021. No one expected but the team was not able to qualify for the semis. Well, eventually we need to move on as we get one of the best prizes of the last few months, “Rahul Dravid as the head coach.”
The hardest part of teaching a top team is handling the top players and creating the best combination without offending anyone. The nature of the best players is to always be on the team sheet. No matter which sports team you are running, if you plan for success, you have to trouble the comfortable and comfort the troubled. Rahul Dravid is not special when it comes to handling the Indian Cricket Team. But his history speaks differently as most experts believe that he can only raise the bar on the team with time.
But Rahul Dravid must be scared of the position of managing a team full of millionaires. He’s been appointed as the coach for the next two years, and managing a bunch of guys that are widely recognized through wins and defeats can be a tricky task for the WALL.
Some of these guys are worshipped as demigods by the fans in our country. And according to the latest conversation revealed by Shastri, Dravid believes in this too. To be honest, he is not wrong; most players have earned tremendous acclaim and fame in a shorter period.
Without a doubt, Dravid is one of the best batters that India has ever produced, and we all agree he is among the best Cricketers we have ever seen. Apart from his international accolades, the Wall has already proved himself as the coach as well. Before taking the role of managing India Under 19, he also took Rajasthan Royals to the playoffs. Something we never saw the previous coach doing. To be honest, that’s what Dravid brings to the table, a simple yet effective way that generates results.
Team India has been playing tremendous cricket over time, but playing under Dravid’s philosophy may be the key to winning ICC trophies. Dravid already won his first T20 series as a coach. But we must ask this question: can Dravid really make India a better team than before. We have already seen the change in the regime of white-ball cricket, and so far, there are no complaints. So, let us just try to find an answer to this question – Can Rahul Dravid Make India a Better Team Than Ravi Shastri?
Dravid’s Philosophy
Dravid works around a simple philosophy, “Let the players do what they are best at.” But we also saw him more hands-on with the players. We never saw something with the predecessor. Well, everyone has a different way, but hawking on the players will certainly not help. Jokes apart, Dravid loves to sit back and observe. According to the experts, he only steps in when required, and mostly, it’s the players who walk up to him for some advice.
However, while taking up the charge, Dravid does state that, “For me, the players’ physical and mental health is the most important thing, and I will always be in conversation with them.” It’s sure that Dravid is upping his game and wants to make India a better side.
Success with Under 19, India A, and NCA(National Cricket Academy)
Dravid’s success in his previous roles was one of the reasons Ganguly forced him to be the head coach of the national side. Most of the youngsters in the Indian team have to say something about the new coach. What makes Dravid successful is the clarity he brings along with his good habits and good heart. To be honest, if you see a successful man following a thing that makes him better, then the other players would also love to follow that.
Team India’s future is some listed young players including Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Avesh Khan(Delhi Capitals and was also selected for the ongoing New Zealand tour), Mohammed Siraj, Mayank Agarwal, K. S. Bharat(Royal Challenge Bangalore), Hanuma Vihari, every one of them are groomed and polished by Dravid on various levels. Each of these players would love to play under Dravid again and prove themselves to be a part of the national side. This will definitely be going to improve the Indian cricket team.
Believes in Mental Health & WorkLoad Management of the players
Dravid always talks about players’ mental health and workload management, something we have never seen before. India still lags behind when it comes to mental health. All the big teams in World Cricket like Australia, New Zealand, England have mental health experts to better players. Unfortunately, India doesn’t have a mental specialist for players to talk about.
However, Dravid believes in the mental health and well-being of the players as well, and it can be the turnout we were waiting for. Indian head coach Rahul Dravid pointed out that players’ mental and physical health is his top priority, given the stresses of playing in a bubble. Dravid also stated workload management is a necessary part of cricket now. If we play cricket throughout the year, we will have to practice workload management.
This kind of management can really do wonders for Indian cricket as we have never seen someone so keen to improve the Indian team players in this way. We all know that every individual in the Indian team is extraordinary, and working on these other aspects can make them better in what they do.
Endnotes
Coaching the Indian team may be difficult, but Dravid being the team’s head coach can be very, very special for the whole nation. In all seriousness, we believe that Rahul Dravid can do wonders which Ravi Shastri may have not tried, and we can finally win ICC trophies starting with T20 Cricket World Cup 2022.
Moreover, let us see how Dravid handles the top players like Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah, Ashwin, Jadeja and create the perfect combination for each format. India is already a strong side whether we talk about the red ball or a white-ball cricket. No matter what happens under Dravid, the fabric of Indian cricket will remain.