Ravi Shastri VS Rahul Dravid: Who Is A Better Coach For India In Test Cricket?: Another ICC event, another ICC knock-out stage and another crash for Team India, a habit that started since India’s triumph in 2013 have now panned a decade and it keeps on compounding. India slumped down to the mighty likes of Australia as the latter left Rohit Sharma and company humiliated.
In the mud-slinging that follows suit, one of the primary targets that has been casting its prolonged shadow over the Indian camp is whether Rahul Dravid is a good enough coach for the Indian cricket team? Well, the comparisons are a lot more tipped towards one man who made the impossible happen, not once but twice, where India defeated Australia in two Border-Gavaskar trophies that too back in the latter’s den.
Ravi Shastri, the Indian coach back then would occasionally become the subject of the memes but then when it came to the grander stages, he would be there, leading the Indian ranks significantly well. What exactly differentiates Ravi Shastri and Rahul Dravid?
Well, we will keep the numbers aside. This story is about three major aspects of a human being that helps him grow and transition from a successful player to a successful coach. Not every successful player becomes a successful coach nor every successful coach was a successful player.
However, it is necessary to identify the subtleties that would eventually hone themselves in a long run and change the successful player into a successful coach. Dravid is a tactical giant and there are no second thoughts on this. When he used to bat for India, the entire world would come to a standstill but then when Shastri would bat, there will definitely be a few hearts fluttering but once again, not the entire nation would come together in watching his front foot defence.
But then with the passing of time, Shastri took up coaching alongside that stentorian baritone and the rest they say is history. India was soon racking up history for breakfast and then Australia and England were crumbling in the face of pressure even before you knew.
Rahul Dravid, however, has so far been battling with injuries for his team and most importantly there is another growing concern that states that the Indian players are somehow getting brasher in the face of pressure and there is no one coming to save them.
Former Indian Coach forged a team in fire, kept the entire team together and most importantly got the team to deliver when it mattered the most. Dravid got a team that was well maintained and was riddled with stars but at the end of the day somehow when it matters the most, the players would blow themselves out of recognition.
The injuries are understandable but keeping them aside, somehow Team India has a firm unit at their disposal and yet it all goes south for them despite the big names of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj.
Is it only a fault of the players or are we overlooking tactical details? Well, time will tell us all. But in the case of Rahul Dravid vs Ravi Shastri as a Test coach, Shastri holds the edge and India’s glory away from home under his chaperonage is a blazing testimony.
