Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has slammed the current India support staff for taking a break from the ongoing New Zealand series. VVS Laxman, Hrishikesh Kanitkar, and Sairaj Bahutule of the NCA coaching staff are filling in for Dravid, Vikram Rathour, and Paras Mhambrey as the team’s coaches.
Dravid will return to coaching duties when India departs for Bangladesh for an ODI and Test series on December 4, along with Rathour and Mhambrey. Meanwhile, the coaching staff has been backed by Ravichandran Ashwin.
“I do not believe in breaks. 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 for, 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,” Shastri said during a virtual press conference.
Rahul Dravid and his team put in extensive hard work: Ravichandran Ashwin
Ashwin has now defended Dravid, explaining why not only players like him, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul, but also the support staff, needed a break following the 20-20 World Cup.
“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,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Hardik Pandya is the captain of the Indian T20I team for the New Zealand tour. The first match in Wellington was called off due to heavy rain without a ball being bowled. Mount Maunganui will host the second match on Sunday.
