"If you want to win a World Cup, you need a stable team six months before the tournament" - Rohit Sharma's childhood coach Dinesh Lad
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s coach said that Indian players need to contemplate their workload management if they intend to win global events like the World Cup.
The Mumbai-based coach is of the opinion that there should be no compromise on key players missing international fixtures.
The Men in Blue qualified for the semi-final stage after leading the charts in Group 2 in the Super 12 round. However, Jos Buttler’s England ended India’s T20 World Cup hopes with a humiliating 10-wicket defeat in the second semi-final in Adelaide.
The Indian team management drew public backlash for their tactics and player selection following India’s failure in the semi-final against England. The choice of player selection, the misfiring opening combination, and the benching of Yuzvendra Chahal were some of the points that came into the spotlight.
Speaking to Sportskeeda on India’s build up to the T20 World Cup, Dinesh Lad is of the opinion that India have had a lackluster side for the last seven months.
He said:
“I thought, maybe, in the last seven-eight months, we are not a stable team. If we are preparing for the World Cup, it should be an established team. In the last seven months, somebody is coming to open the innings, somebody is coming to bowl, there is no stability.
In a bid to give senior players sufficient rest amid the hectic schedule of international cricket and a two-month IPL season, the BCCI has been resting and rotating some important players from its formidable bench strength.
However, Lad has a contrary view on the rest and rotation policy. The Mumbai-based coach feels players should skip the lucrative Indian Premier League in order to stay fresh for international games.
Speaking on the significance of playing international games over franchise cricket, Lad said:
"I don’t think so (on giving workload management as the reason). Everybody in the world is playing because they are professionals, not a workload you can say. Why are they playing in the IPL? Don’t play the IPL if you want to win the World Cup."
He continued:
"In actual professional grades, they should play every game (at international level) because we are getting something from that. It’s not an honorary job and there should be no compromise in international cricket."
He further added:
“It is on them only. How can I say this (whether players should drop their IPL contracts)? They will have to take a call on that. Because you have been playing for India and for your states continuously that’s why you are considered for the IPL. Your international performance helps you determine your salary cap (in the IPL). So directly you don’t get an entry into the IPL.
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"Actually I felt it wasn’t needed": Dinesh Lad on resting Rohit Sharma for a few bilateral series ahead of Asia Cup
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was rested for the five-match T20I series against South Africa in June.
Although he led the team in T20Is in the West Indies in the July-August period, Rohit Sharma was rested in the three-match ODI series. He also missed the Zimbabwe ODIs to start in the Asia Cup with a fresh mindset.
While opposing the move to rest Rohit Sharma in the build-up to the World Cup, Lad mentioned:
“Actually I felt it wasn’t needed. If you are preparing for the T20 World Cup then Rohit’s presence with the team is a must. Because you are thinking about the World Cup in that particular period. So every time he should be with the team because he is responsible (as a captain)."
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He further said:
"Now everybody is blaming Rohit Sharma only, not blaming all players…… Rohit didn’t perform well and didn’t do captaincy as well as that. Everybody is blaming him, which is not good.”
Rohit Sharma, along with the likes of KL Rahul and Virat Kohli, has been rested for the ongoing white-ball matches against New Zealand. All three players will return to action during India’s tour of Bangladesh in December, where they will play three ODIs and two Tests.