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SPORTS NOVEMBER 25, 2022 | The Indian Eye 41

No rest for Rahul Dravid

ormer India al-rounder and
coach Ravi Shastri expressed
Fhis disagreement with the plan
of giving head coach Rahul Dravid
a break ahead of the team’s limit-
ed-overs series in New Zealand say-
ing such frequent absence from the
dressing room can impact the play-
er-coach relationship.
Dravid, nicknamed ‘The Wall’
during his playing days for his impreg-
nable defence, was given a break for
the New Zealand tour, with current
National Cricket Academy (NCA)
director VVS Laxman taking the
coaching reins for the limited-overs
series. The first of a three-match T20I
series on the Kiwi soil, which follows
India’s heart-breaking semi-final exit
from the T20 World Cup, will kick off
on Friday.
“I do not believe in breaks. Be-
cause I want to understand my team,
I want to understand my players and
I want to be in control of that team.
These breaks... what do you need that Suryakumar Yadav plays a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 (ANI)
many breaks for, to be honest? You
get your 2-3 months of the IPL, that’s
enough for you to rest as a coach. But Laxman in a press conference. weakness of the opponents, you need 145.27.
other times, I think a coach should be Laxman admitted that the short- to create a strategy and execute it Babar Azam’s match-winning
hands-on, whoever he is,” Shastri said er format needs more multi-dimen- perfectly,” he added. half-century in the semis against New
during a virtual interaction with the sional players, bowlers who can bat Zealand helped him climb to num-
press facilitated by Amazon Prime and batters who can bowl. ICC ranking: Suryakumar ber three in the rankings. Rilee Ros-
Video ahead of the first T20I in Wel- “More number of bowlers who Yadav retains number one spot souw of South Africa jumped to the
lington on Friday. can bat adds depth to batting line-up seventh position while Kiwis batter
Not one to mince words, Shas- and gives freedom to batters to go ndian middle-order batter Glenn Phillips dropped to the eighth
tri, however, backed VVS Laxman to out and express themselves. That is Suryakumar Yadav saw a decline spot. Both had scored centuries in
kick off the rebuilding phase for In- the need of the format and I am sure Iin his rating points, but none- this T20 World Cup.
dia in coloured cricket post the World that more teams will try getting this theless retained his top spot in the Mohammad Rizwan, Devon
Cup setback with a series win on Kiwi in their selection process and identify ICC T20I Player Rankings issued on Conway of New Zealand and Pro-
land. He advised the former batting players who are multi-dimensional,” Wednesday. teas batter Aiden Markram are in
ace to not be reluctant to select ex- he added. After superb performances in the top five as well, with Rizwan and
perts for the shortest format, even if About skipper Hardik Pandya’s Super 12 of the ICC T20 World Markram holding firm their second
doing so leaves ‘some experienced captaincy, the coach said that he is Cup, Suryakumar Yadav dethroned and fifth position. Conway on the
players’ on the bench. not only tactically good, but also very Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan to other hand lost his third number spot
calm on-field, which is needed while become the top batter. But his rat- to Babar, dropping to fourth.
Bat fearlessly, but keep playing in pressure situations at the ing points declined from 869 to 859 Adil Rashid has been the big-

conditions in mind: Laxman highest level. after a poor 14 against England in gest gainer in bowling in T20Is after
“He is a fabulous leader. We have the semi-final, which Indian lost. registering figures of 1/20 against In-
head of the first T20I match seen what he has done in IPL. I have Suryakumar still finished the tourna- dia and 2/22 against Pakistan in the
against New Zealand, Indi- spent time with him from Ireland. His ment with 239 runs in six innings at semi-final and final of the T20 World
Aan head coach VVS Laxman presence and work ethic are exem- an average of 59.75, a strike rate of Cup. He climbed to third spot after
said that the batters have been asked plary. He is a player’s captain and is 189.68, the highest among batters and jumping five places.
to play fearless cricket while keeping approachable. Players confide in him. three half-centuries. Sam Curran., the Player of the
conditions and situations in mind. He leads by example,” he added. England batter Alex Hales con- Tournament and Man of the Match
India will kick off its tour of New Laxman said that it is always tinued to impress, smashing 86* off in the final against Pakistan for his
Zealand with the first T20I in Wel- challenging to play in New Zealand, 47 balls against India in semis, which 3/12, moved to number five, making
lington on Friday. “In T20I cricket, especially for bowlers and fielders. helped him jump 22 spots to reach jump of two spots. Wanindu Hasaran-
we need to play with freedom and “It is not about the smaller number 12 position among batters. ga, who finished as the highest wick-
fearlessness and we have such players grounds, but the dimensions of the He finished the tournament with et-taker in the tournament with 15,
that can go out and express them- ground. In Wellington and Auckland, 212 runs at an average of 42.40 and retains his top place among bowlers.
selves. The message given to them there are not normal cricket grounds. two fifties, as the second-highest bat- Among the all-rounders in T20Is,
by the captain and management is The best part of international cricket ter for England. Ever since his come- Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan, Af-
that they bat fearlessly but also keep is that you have to adapt to conditions back to the national side this year af- ghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi and
conditions and situations in mind and and situations. I am sure the team will ter 2019, he has scored 430 runs at an India’s Hardik Pandya continue to
create strategies accordingly,” said do that. Based on the strengths and average of 30.71 and a strike rate of occupy the top three spots.

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