The Rahul Dravid era will kickstart tomorrow (November 17) as India take on New Zealand in three-T20I series followed by two-Test match series. The newly-appointed head coach will take charge of the side permanently after previously managing the Indian side on temporary basis when a second-string side Indian side led by Shikhar Dhawan toured Sri Lanka earlier this year.
Speaking to the media, the former India captain emphasised on players' mental health and workload as he said, ”At this time we need to respect the players' physical and mental health. I want the players to be fresh and switched on and these are challenging times so I would want to work with players and ensure they are well rested. We might not have players who play all formats playing all the time and that will be a chance for others to showcase their talent. At this point I am not looking for separate teams in different formats.”
Dravid was full of praise for former coach Ravi Shastri and was adamant that it will be a tough task to succeed a coach of Shastri’s quality. “We don't prioritse at all. All the three formats are equally important for us. Obviously, with ICC tournaments coming up we need to prepare for those. As far as vision is concerned we will look to improve overall,” he further added.
The press conference was also attended by the new T20I captain Rohit Sharma who stated that it would be a tough challenge but his team is ready to roll the sleeves to extact revenge against the Kiwis. Reflecting on the team's preparation, he said, “I think it's one of the important aspects of the format where people have the assurance and go and take their chances. Our role will be crucial in letting people play fearlessly. We need to give them the assurance.”
Asked about Virat Kohli, he stated that the 33-year-old has given everything for the nation and is already a legend of the game. So it will be tough to ignore him. Asked about the requirement of an all-rounder in the team, both Rohit and Dravid were cautious and said they are keeping close eyes on the options. Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy is also being observed closely to access options on domestic front, said the newly appointed coach.
While avoiding comments on Hardik Pandya, the newly appointed duo stated, India need to change the pattern of playing in the T20I format. Fresh ideas are to be inserted as India would try to comeback from a disappointing T20 World Cup. The Men in Blue were eliminated in the Super 12 stage in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2021.
The Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur will be the destination for the first T20I followed by Ranchi. New Zealand will be without the services of their captain Kane Williamson who withdrew from the squad earlier in the day to prepare for the Test series. The two-match Test series will commence from November 25 in Kanpur. Williamson will be back for the longer format and so will be the Indian Test captain Virat Kohli, but the latter is only available for Mumbai Test.
