Environment in Team India under Rahul Dravid is very good: Ramiz Raja hails Indian legend
Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja has praised Rahul Dravid for his role in Team India’s ODI series win in Sri Lanka. Despite struggling at 193 for 7 in a chase of 276 in the second one-dayer, Team India won the match by three wickets, courtesy a brilliant knock of 69 not out from Deepak Chahar.
Chahar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar (19 not out) featured in an unbroken stand of 84 for the eighth wicket to guide Team India home from a precarious situation. With Tuesday’s win, India clinched the three-match series with a game to spare.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Raja opined that a lot for credit for Team India’s victory as well as the manner in which Chahar batted must go to coach Dravid, saying:
“Chahar read the situation of the game brilliantly. A lot of credit for the same must go to Rahul Dravid, under whom these youngsters are being trained in Sri Lanka. A very good team environment is being built. He himself is a young coach."
"Dravid talks less, and that is one of the secrets to success as a coach. One should not overburden the mind with too many thoughts or ideas, which creates unnecessary confusion. And there was definitely no confusion in the manner in which Chahar played a great innings. In his fifth one-dayer, he played an amazing knock and won them a match, which seemed like a lost cause at one point.”
Sri Lanka must take inspiration from Team India’s youngsters: Ramiz Raja
Raja further asked Sri Lankan players to take inspiration from Indian youngsters and improve their game. Praising Chahar’s knock, he added that the lower-order batsman was amazingly calm under pressure. Raja said:
“Sri Lanka must take inspiration from Indian youngsters, who play fearless cricket and enjoy themselves. The hosts put up a challenging score on the board batting first. But Deepak Chahar played a fabulous innings. I have no words to describe his innings. Under pressure, he showed immense strength and calmness."
"Chahar batted like a proper batsman and featured in a wonderful partnership with Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Wanindu Hasaranga, who bowled brilliantly, tried to entice Chahar into a false stroke, but he did not budge and smartly played out the dangerous bowler.”
After winning the toss and batting first, Sri Lanka put up a challenging total of 275 for 9 on the board. However, despite reducing Team India to 160 for 6, Sri Lanka failed to finish off the match and ended up conceding the series.