Shastri slams India coach Dravid for taking break amid New Zealand tour

WELLINGTON: Ravi Shastri has criticized the decision of the Indian head coach Rahul Dravid and other coaching staff to take a break from the New Zealand tour, saying that a coach should not take this much amount of rest and instead invest the time to understand the players. 

India are set to lock horns with the host in a three-match T20I series and as many ODIs on their tour of New Zealand. Hardik Pandya and Shikhar Dhawan will captain the Indian side in absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma.

Similarly, the Indian coaching staff including the head coach Rahul Dravid have been granted a break from the tour with VVS Laxman filling in as interim head coach of Men in Blue.

Dravid’s predecessor Shastri however looked unhappy over the BCCI’s decision to grant the coaching staff frequent breaks, claiming they already get enough time for rest during the Indian Premier League (IPL) window.

“I do not believe in breaks. Because I want to understand my team, I want to understand my players and I want to then be in control of that team,” said the former all-rounder during a virtual presser ahead of the first T20I between India and New Zealand in Wellington.

“These breaks… what do you need that 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 other times, I think a coach should be hands-on, whoever he is”

Notably, this is not the first time Dravid has received a break as Laxman took the charge when India toured Zimbabwe and Ireland earlier this year in his absences.

Moreover, Shastri urged team India to get inspiration from England’s strategy in white-ball cricket and put trust in young blood by clearly defining their roles even if takes a few senior players to sit out of the team.

“I wouldn’t like to point out anything, but there’s an opportunity with this team in the future to identify roles for players, identify match-winners, and go pretty much on the template of England. They are one team that really caught the bull by the horns after the 2015 World Cup. They sat down and said they are going to identify the best players for that format of the game – whether it’s T20 or 50-over cricket,” said the ex-Indian coach.

This meant if certain senior players had to sit out, then so be it. They got in fearless youngsters who could adapt to that pattern of the game without having to change their games too much. So it’s a template that can be followed easily; India have got a wealth of resources. And I think it can start with this tour. Because when you look at this team, it’s a new, young side. You can identify, you can groom, and you can take this team ahead in two years,” he concluded.

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