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Following a challenging stint for the Indian cricket team, with a 0-2 trail in the ongoing T20I series against the West Indies, former pacer Dodda Ganesh has come to the defence of head coach Rahul Dravid. With significant players absent, the young team's performance has drawn criticism, specifically targeting Dravid's role, particularly in the T20I format.
Ganesh took to Twitter, arguing against holding Dravid responsible for on-field decisions: "Coach Rahul Dravid being pulled up needlessly for skipper Pandya's school-boy like errors on the field."
This remark was in reference to the widespread disapproval of skipper Hardik Pandya's tactical decisions during the second T20I on August 6, 2023. Despite Yuzvendra Chahal's standout performance, Pandya did not allow him to bowl his last over, leading to the West Indies chasing down the target. Further questions arose when Axar Patel, included in the playing XI, wasn’t given a chance to bowl.
Dodda Ganesh continued, highlighting the limited role of a coach in real-time match decisions: "I'm sure Rahul Dravid wouldn't have asked Pandya to under-bowl Chahal or not bowl Axar. But Rahul isn't a proactive coach it seems," he stated, reacting to former cricketer Parthiv Patel's critique of Dravid.
Parthiv Patel was vocally critical, suggesting Dravid has been less than proactive in guiding a relatively new captain like Pandya. He contrasted this with Pandya's successful partnership with coach Ashish Nehra at the Gujarat Titans, under whose guidance the team clinched the IPL title in 2022 and reached the final in 2023.
Furthermore, concerns about India's ODI World Cup squad and their recent lacklustre performances have intensified the scrutiny of Dravid's tenure as coach. This includes exits from the Asia Cup T20, a 10-wicket loss in the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-finals, and a defeat in the World Test Championship 2023 final against Australia.
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