WI vs IND: Head coach Rahul Dravid reveals why it was important to leave Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli out of 2nd ODI

India suffered a shock defeat in the second ODI as West Indies stormed back and leveled the series 1-1 with one more ODI to be played.

SportsTak

• Sun • 30 Jul 2023

India suffered a shock defeat in the second ODI as West Indies stormed back and leveled the series 1-1 with one more ODI to be played. In a game in which captain Rohit Sharma and maverick batter Virat Kohli were rested in order to hand other players a chance, the visitors shot themselves into the foot and fizzled out for just 181 runs while batting first. The abysmal show with the bat put India behind the eight ball and Men in Maroon capitalised on the momentum to seal a six-wicket win.

After the game, head coach Rahul Dravid defended the management's decision to leave out the two superstars from the playing XI. Dravid put emphasis on the importance of handing opportunities to other players with a limited number of ODIs before the World Cup.

"We have to try out other people and we have to give other people some chances so that we, you know, in the worst case scenario, at least they have game time behind them," Dravid said in a video shared by the BCCI.

"It gives us an opportunity to make some decisions on players. You know, we just felt that honestly, in a series like this, with only two-three matches to go before the Asia Cup, you know, playing and honestly would not have given us, you know, too many answers. But, you know, with the injuries that we have in the NCA and some sort of uncertainty around them, we wanted to give some of the other boys a chance so that if required, then you know they can play," the Indian coach added.

With the series now level at 1-1, it would be very unlikely and even surprising if Rohit and Virat miss the 3rd ODI. The two mainstays of Indian batting line-up have been in terrific form and in a do-or-die game, the Men in Blue would bank on their experience to get the job done.