Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid will embark on a new journey starting today. The duo will take charge of India’s T20I fortunes first. Rohit Sharma’s appointment as T20I captain seemed inevitable. He has been a captain in waiting for the longest time. Here is Will The Rohit-Dravid Era In Cricketing History Be Great ?
It is the appointment of Rahul Dravid as head coach that has brought in a different level of excitement. He will be aiming for a good start at the onset with the upcoming New Zealand series.
What is the challenge that lies ahead of them?
Rahul Dravid in his first press conference as India’s full-time head coach stressed on the fact that all 3 formats are equally important for the team. There will be no letup in intensity when it comes to a single format. In no measured words, Dravid has clearly stated that he has his sights on all 3 big ICC events that are lined up in the next two years.
It will be important for Dravid and Rohit to first identify the approach in which they will play the T20Is. India far too often have been conservative especially while batting first in T20Is. This mindset cost them two crucial games in the recently concluded T20 World Cup. Dravid and Rohit know quite well that this area needs to be worked at. India have arsenal in abundance but they need to find the right ones to do the job in crunch games.
India’s tentative gameplay in ICC knockout matches:
India have been the team to beat in recent years across formats. But what has held them back is their performance in crucial knockout games in ICC events. They are yet to win an ICC trophy post the Champions Trophy win in 2013. It has now become a problem of temperament than being technically superior.
India find strange ways to harm themselves in the big games. This facet was one glaring hole in the Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri era. The Rohit-Dravid combination will want to correct that sooner rather than later.
The champion mindset: The coach’s touch
Not many remember the fact that Rahul Dravid himself was a very shrewd and successful captain. He fashioned India’s test series wins in West Indies and England. It was under Dravid that India became a very successful chasing side. The legacy of India being a gun chasing side was built under him.
Dravid ensured his players played with freedom despite the team environment not being the greatest. He coached the India U-19 side thrice in the World Cups. India won 1 and finished runners-up twice in his tenure. But what was striking about his team was the fact that they played with gay abandon. He will look to infuse similar energy with the senior team and help them break the shackles.
The Midas Man: Captain fantastic
Rohit Sharma is arguably the finest tactical skipper India have currently. He is a players’ captain who backs them to the hilt. Sharma provides an environment where players are free to express themselves without the fear of failure. Rohit has 5 IPL titles to his name. But his biggest contribution to the Mumbai Indians’ side is that he has developed them into a fearsome unit.
Rohit is no stranger to Indian captaincy too. He has 15 wins in 19 games with a win percentage of 78.94. But what is noticeable is that even during his part-time stints as India captain, the team managed to win 2 multi-national tournaments under his leadership. Incidentally, these are the only two trophies that India have won post-2013.
Their combination is a recipe for success?
The signs are there for everyone to see that India have possibly got the greatest captain-coach combination. If the partnership works well in unison, then Indian fans can expect some great moments in the near future.
Also read: India Have Won The Toss And Have Opted To Field Against New Zealand
