3 reasons why Rahul Dravid will be a great coach for the Indian cricket team
Former India captain Rahul Dravid has been appointed as head coach of Team India and will take over the reins from Ravi Shastri after the ongoing T20 World Cup in the UAE. Dravid's two-year term will begin with the home series against New Zealand starting November 17.
Dravid has served as director of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru after being the coach of India A and India Under-19. He was hugely successful in these roles, and under him India reached two Under-19 World Cup finals.
I think Rahul Dravid is going to make a fantastic head coach for #India …
Dravid was appointed interim coach for the limited-overs series in Sri Lanka in July as Shastri was with the Test squad in England. It was clear then that he would succeed Shastri.
Here are 3 reasons why Rahul Dravid will be a fantastic coach for the Indian team:
#1 Rahul Dravid understands the system
Dravid stayed involved with Indian cricket even after his retirement as a player. He was appointed coach of India A and India Under-19 sides and played a key role in developing a number of young players. Some have gone on to become invaluable members of the senior India side.
Dravid's latest appointment will give a lot of continuity to the process since he understands these players and will enjoy their confidence. The Indian cricketing calendar is packed over the next two seasons and the head coach needs to understand how each player responds to different situations. These reasons make Dravid the perfect appointment.
Absolutely the right man for the job! Rahul Dravid has been a great servant of Indian cricket. As he takes guard for a fresh innings as the head coach, i am sure he will take the team onward and upward. Best wishes to my partner in many an enjoyable stand!! twitter.com/bcci/status/14…
#2 Experience of playing with senior members of the side
Another reason why Dravid's appointment makes a lot of sense is that he has shared the dressing room with seniors like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as a player and his international achievements warrant respect and admiration. He understands the modern game and his thinking and analysis of the game will compliment the traits of the current Indian side.
Dravid is someone who leads by example and demands respect. This is perhaps the change the Indian team needs - a person who understands the players, a person who has played the modern game, and a person who gives them the space to play with absolute freedom.
#3 Believes in data and preparation
One of the reasons Dravid was successful with India A and Under-19 sides was that he placed a lot of emphasis on data and analytics. He studies opponents, takes a look at numbers, creates match-ups and strategies and this is what the Indian team needs at this point.
During his stint at the National Cricket Academy, he always insisted on collation and analysis of data and he is well-versed with modern trends and practices. At the same time, he is a wonderful communicator who believes in speaking with the players and assigning them specific roles and then backing them to the hilt.
'Coach' Dravid has a nice ring to it, and there are all the ingredients for a successful tenure, but the challenges with Indian cricket have never been easy.