Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri recently criticized Rahul Dravid-led current India support staff for taking a break from the ongoing New Zealand series. In the absence of Dravid, the NCA coaching staff of VVS Laxman, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Sairaj Bahutule are filling in for their job as the team’s head coach, batting, and bowling coach respectively. Rahul Dravid will return to his coaching duties when team India leaves for Bangladesh for ODI and Test series, along with Rathour and Mhambrey starting December 4.
Ravi Shastri expressed his displeasure with the same and said that he doesn’t believe in breaks. Speaking in a virtual press conference, Ravi Shastri said: “I do not believe in breaks,” He added: “Because I want to understand my team, I want to understand my players and I want to be in control of that team. These breaks… why do you need that many breaks, 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.”
Ravi Ashwin has now come to Dravid’s defense, explaining why not only players like him, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul but also the support staff needed this break after the T20 World Cup 2022. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said:
“I will explain why Laxman has gone there with a completely different team because even that could be interpreted differently. Rahul Dravid and his team put in extensive hard work ahead of the T20 World Cup, right from planning, since I saw this from close quarters, I’m saying this. They had specific in-depth plans for each venue and each opposition. So they would have been under not only mental but also physical burnout and everyone needed a break. As soon as the New Zealand series ends, we have the Bangladesh tour. That’s why we have a different coaching staff led by Laxman for this tour,”
In the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya will be leading the Indian cricket team in the ongoing series. The first match of the ongoing series was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to heavy rain. The second match will be played in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.
