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SpORTS NOVEMBER 19, 2021 | The Indian Eye 41

tEam inDia cOach

rahul Dravid has a challenge as Shastri

hands over the ‘greatest team’ to him

The biggest challenge in front of new head coach Rahul Dravid is how to build a fearless white-ball squad

OuR BuREAu
Dubai/Mumbai
eam India’s outgoing head
coach Ravi Shastri has recalled
This “fantastic” journey with
the side and said he wanted to make
a difference which he did during his
stint with the Virat Kohli-led side.
Barring the below-par show in the
ongoing tournament, the Men In
Blue have performed exceptionally
well under coach Shastri and skipper
Kohli. India had defeated Australia
by three wickets against all odds to
clinch the Test series earlier this year.
The Kohli-led side had also defeat-
ed England 3-2 in the T20I series in
March this year.
“It (journey) has been fantastic.
When I took this job, I said in my
mind I want to make a difference and
I think I have. Sometimes in life, it’s Virat Kohli of India looks on alongside Ravi Shastri, Head Coach of India during a team huddle (ANI)
not all about what you accomplish,
it’s what you overcome,” Shastri said Prithvi Shaw, Ishan Kishan, Avesh
before the India-Namibia game. Khan among others and the head
“And what these guys have over- coach needs to ensure a smooth tran-
come over the last five years, the way sition of these youngsters in at least
they have travelled across the globe the T20I squad. The former India
and performed in every part of the skipper needs to realise the impor-
globe in all formats of the game will tance of having game-changers in the
make this - irrespective of what’s hap- shortest format, and hence the man-
pened here - as one of the greatest agement needs to move over reputa-
teams in the history of the game.” tions, and look at new blood especial-
Shastri said that Rahul Dravid ly in the T20I format.
has inherited a great team and he Kohli and Rohit will not be
can only raise the bar as the man in around for a long period of time,
charge. Dravid will take over from so grooming one leader apart from
Shastri and the former India skip- these two should also be on Dravid’s
per’s first assignment would be the mind. Hardik Pandya’s performance
home T20I and Test series against was there for everyone to see in the
New Zealand, beginning November The new Indian team Head coach Rahul Dravid along with Shikhar Dhawan (ANI) World Cup, so having a fast-bowling
17. “In Rahul Dravid, they’ve got a all-rounder backup is the need of the
guy who has inherited a great team a fearless brand of cricket. And this he is known for giving players a long hour. Venkatesh Iyer has been select-
and I think with his experience, he will be the biggest challenge in front and consistent run. ed for the New Zealand series, and
can only raise the bar in time to come. of new head coach Rahul Dravid as Rohit and Dravid must ensure he needs to be given a consistent run.
There are still players here who will he looks to build a fearless white-ball the Men in Blue play the T20I for- England faced a debacle in the
play for another 3-4 years which is squad. mat in the manner it is supposed to 2015 50-over World Cup, however, af-
very important. It is not a team in However, what happened in the be played -- going hell for leather ter the tournament, the side realised
transition and that’ll make the biggest past cannot be undone. But with a from ball one. The upcoming New the need for change and one needs
difference,” Shastri said. new coach in Rahul Dravid, and a Zealand series should be a chance to to see how the country has gone on
Meanwhile, former England new T20I captain in Rohit Sharma, it experiment with a new strategy where to become the biggest powerhouse in
skipper Nasser Hussain while decod- is time for India to adapt to the chang- every batter looks to play their natu- white-ball cricket today. One can just
ing the reason behind India’s failure ing times in the shorter formats of the ral game rather than waiting for the hope that India will follow the tem-
to shine in the ongoing T20 World game. Rohit is known to be a bloke death overs to go berserk. plate and come out all guns blazing in
Cup spoke about the need to play with calm shoulders on his head, and Dravid has nurtured players like the 2022 T20 World Cup.

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