Published: Jun 06, 2015, 07:03 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 07, 2015, 09:48 PM (IST)
Not often the Indian cricket board brings smiles on the faces of fans with back-to-back good news. After the formation of all-important advisory committee consisting Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) announcement of appointing Rahul Dravid as the coach of the India A and India Under-19 sides is no less than a masterstroke. Devarchit Varma explains why.
There would not have been a better man than Rahul Dravid to put at the helm of the matters in India A and India Under-19 cricket teams, as the former India captain is no less than a complete package when it is about grooming the young talent and bringing out the best from them. The expertise is not only limited to nurturing the young, as someone as seasoned as Dravid can also resurrect many falling careers, once given a chance. READ: Rahul Dravid appointed India A and India Under-19 coach
It is unknown whether Dravid had any competition for the role, but if had there been any, it would have been daft to overlook the former captain and go with someone else.
After all, Dravid is that one among the batch of the ‘Fabulous Four’ who has established himself as the best man to look up to as a coach. This reputation of Dravid has largely been established on the bank of consistently impressive performances by Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). READ: Rahul Dravid is vital to Indian cricket restructuring, claims Jagmohan Dalmiya
Tendulkar specialises in giving some invaluable tips, but he is yet to take a more hands-on role in Mumbai Indians (MI). Ganguly has stayed away from such roles in IPL since the end of the road with Pune Warriors India (PWI). Laxman has stayed on as a consultant with Sunrisers Hydrabad (SRH), but none among them have been as actively involved in managerial roles as Dravid, and none have enjoyed success and fame that he has.
None of the other three have a profile as consolidated as Dravid’s, who has been an instrumental figure in the Rajasthan camp, bringing out the best from young, unknown cricketers who know nothing but playing cricket.
Dravid’s forte lies in the mental part of the game, which was one of the biggest factors in his success in international cricket. If Dravid is able to manage to get the youngsters understand the importance of the mental part being as equally important as skills in international cricket— he and the young Indian cricketers are surely destined for success. READ: Rahul Dravid’s reluctance at taking high-profile responsibility a blessing in disguise for India
Dravid is also someone who approaches cricket lot differently compared to others. He does not shy away from being aggressive, and likes to play around with the resources available in the best possible way. In his tenure as Indian captain, Dravid’s men played a completely different brand of cricket.
The BCCI must be applauded for the way they have turned around the tables, trying to bring the focus back on cricketing matters from the off-field issues that looked never ending. With the current appointments of the batch of former Indian cricketers — who all not only enjoy massive fan-following but also command tremendous respect — the BCCI has tried to turn the chapter from a nightmarish to a pleasant one. READ: Rahul Dravid: Nationality not an issue while selecting Indian coach
The involvement of the masters in likes of Tendulkar, Laxman, and Ganguly and lastly, Dravid in the cricketing matters also means a lot to the Indian public, which was increasingly losing faith in the BCCI and its functioning. And the appointments could not have been any better, with the strategic masters in Ganguly, Tendulkar and Laxman forming an advisory committee and the managerial excellence in Dravid taking charge of building the future of Indian cricket.
Indeed, Dravid’s appointment as the India A and India Under-19 coach is a masterstroke by the BCCI, for which it should be commended.
(Devarchit Varma is a reporter with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)
