Rahul Dravid Birthday Special: Four Positives Incorporated in Indian Cricket Team During His Tenure As Head Coach

Rahul Dravid joined the Indian Cricket Team as head coach in 2021 after the previous head coach Ravi Shastri's tenure came to an end. It has been a tenure of mixed results for him and the Indian cricket team. He took over the reigns of the Indian cricket team at a time when they were eliminated from the group stages of the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and were looking for a rebuild for the next edition of the tournament in 2022.  Although any major title evaded Team India in his tenure, yet he set a pathway which can lead Indian cricket days to better days in the future. Happy Birthday Rahul Dravid: Fans Wish Team India Head Coach As He Turns 51.

Dravid led Team India to the semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 next year in Australia. Although he failed in the Asia Cup 2022, under him, India started giving more opportunities to youngsters eyeing for long term goals.  Dravid also led the Indian Cricket Team next to the final of the World Test Championship after victory in the Test series against Australia at home. Despite being a strong contender for the title, India failed to clear the finishing line and now he had to set to new goal for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.

Team India dominatingly won the Asia Cup 2023 and won the ODI and Test series in West Indies before entering the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023. They cruised to the final of the competition winning ten matches in a row but failed to get over the final hurdle as they lost in the final against Australia. Dravid's tenure was supposed to end with the World Cup, but he got a renewal from BCCI and led India in the South Africa tour where India tied with South Africa in Test series just for the second time in their history. In this article, we will look at four positives Rahul Dravid instilled in the Indian Cricket team despite having a mixed result in return.

 1. Role Clarity: Before Rahul Dravid's tenure it repeatedly seemed like the Team India cricketers were not sure what they needed to do while batting or bowling in a particular position or phase of the game. Under Dravid, there is a clear strategical input provided to the players and a role is well defined to them. Both bowlers and batters now have enough clarity of what is required from them in that role.

2. Communication: A biggest strength of Rahul Dravid's setup is the communication in it. Dravid has not hesitated to communicate to players that he doesn't see them with the Indian Cricket team in the near future and has also told players that whatever happens, they will have their position secure irrespective of injury or poor form. This is a big reason why players have been able to express themselves freely irrespective of seniors or youngsters.

3. Continuity: Dravid has backed a set of players to perform in their role and provided them cushion to fail so that in longer terms they feel more confident to deliver or take the required risks under pressure without thinking how they will face the backlash or be dropped from the squad. This is what keeps the intent of the players high in the cutthroat pace of limited overs cricket.

4. Rotation: In modern cricket, with a packed calendar, it is difficult for cricketers to stay injury and fatigue free when playing important games. Dravid has managed the rotation of the players where he has rested players keeping them fresh but also provided much needed gametime and experience to other cricketers keeping them ready for an emergency call in case for an injury unavailability. Going forward, it is going to be a key move for Indian Cricket. India vs Afghanistan T20I Series 2024: Rohit Sharma-Yashasvi Jaiswal Combination to Continue at Opening Slot, Says Coach Rahul Dravid.

Rahul Dravid has always been someone to believe in process irrespective of what the end result it. Even this time under his coaching he has put processes in place like stepping stones which will help the Team India cricket avail the route of success and if followed consistently with trust and belief can bring fruits of bigger success.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 11, 2024 07:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).