“I don’t see any dearth of talent” - Rahul Dravid feels emphasis on infrastructure and resources could get West Indies back on track

Team India head coach Rahul Dravid reckons that the glory days of West Indies cricket could return with the right kind of emphasis on infrastructure and resources. He asserted that the Windies have been a good Test team at home over the last two years.

Some experts and fans reckon that West Indies must be stripped of their Test status in the wake of their failure to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup, which will be held in India. This will be the first time that a one-day World Cup will be held without the once-mighty West Indies.

At a press conference ahead of the second India-Windies Test in Trinidad, Dravid was asked for his views on the shocking decline of West Indies cricket. He pointed out that the Caribbeans have been doing well in Tests at home, but added that constant comparison with great teams of the past has not helped their cause.

“The West Indian Test team has had a really good record over the last couple of years. I think, before this series, they had lost only one of the last six series played in the Caribbean. We need to put things in perspective as well. The pressure and the challenge that the current generation of West Indian cricketers face - they always get compared to the great West Indian sides of the late 70s or the 80s and the 90s. That’s not an easy comparison for anyone," Dravid said.

“To compare your team against a legendary team like the one that Clive Lloyd or Viv Richards led is going to be tough for anyone,” the 50-year-old added.

Asserting that West Indies have got the potential to be a force in international cricket once again, Dravid urged for focus on the right areas.

“I don’t see any dearth of talent here. With the right kind of emphasis on infrastructure and resources, I don’t see why West Indies can’t go back to the glory days,” he stated.

🎥 With the #AsiaCup2023 fixtures announced, here's what #TeamIndia Head Coach Rahul Dravid said 🔽 pic.twitter.com/ycEWukD5zW

India beat West Indies by an innings and 141 runs in the first Test of the ongoing series.

“Great celebration for the fact that cricket is growing in other parts of the world” - Dravid on Netherlands qualifying for World Cup

While West Indies failed to qualify for the ODI World Cup, the Netherlands made the cut along with Sri Lanka. Dravid admitted that Windies’ absence from the mega event is a sad development. At the same time, he added that the Dutch qualifying is proof of the growth of cricket.

The 50-year-old commented:

“It’s really nice to see a team like Netherlands qualify for the World Cup; they deserve it. Not having the West Indies, the inaugural champions of the tournament, and especially the special connection that they have to India, [is sad]. It was the West Indies that India was able to beat in 1983, which signaled, in some ways, the resurgence of Indian cricket. West Indies has a huge history and legacy at World Cups.

“To not have them there will certainly be a loss, but that’s the way things go. It would be disappointing for the West Indies, it would be a great celebration for the fact that cricket is growing in other parts of the world,” the Team India coach concluded.

NETHERLANDS QUALIFIED FOR WORLD CUP 2023.

Dutch chased down 278 runs from just 43 overs & created history. pic.twitter.com/vYH5GtE2xJ

The 2023 ODI World Cup will be played in India from October 5 to November 19.