Rahul Dravid: Armaan Jaffer, Sarfaraz Khan very talented
Rahul Dravid: Armaan Jaffer, Sarfaraz Khan very talented
Rahul Dravid, who coached India Under-19 team and took it to the final of the recently concluded ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup 2016 regards the budding players he trained having the flair to climb up the ladder. He feels Armaan Jaffer and Sarfaraz Khan are very talented and so are many other cricketers. He added youngsters should learn to fight difficulties like playing in First-Class cricket, since they will face many trials and tribulations in their life and career. Dravid is positive that young cricketers he schooled will learn the intricacies of the game with time and grow to become even better cricketers. Considered to be the most technically correct batsman India has ever produced after Sunil Gavaskar; Dravid has word of advice to the players he coached. He said refining one’s skills is critical and it’s important to do that even though it may take time. FULL SCORECARD: ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup 2016, India vs West Indies at Dhaka
In a conversation with mid-day he said, “There is a lot of talent. Just like everyone else, Armaan and Sarfaraz are extremely talented boys. They’ve got as much a chance as anyone in the 15 to go on to represent the country. Like everyone in the team, they conducted themselves really well both on and off the field. The real challenge starts now as they have to go and play first-class cricket. They are going to face quite a few ups and downs. There is talent and hopefully they’ve had a great experience with opportunities to learn and grow as cricketers. From now on, the challenges are going to get more difficult and exciting as well.” PHOTOS: Indian team, Rahul Dravid visit High Commission of India in Dhaka before ICC Under-19 World Cup final
“They have to keep working on their skills as that will allow them to be successful and competitive. At this stage of one’s career, a year doesn’t make a huge difference, i.e. you could lose a year or two but as long as you keep working on your skills and keep getting better, when you do get the opportunity at the first-class level, you are able to cash in and make the best of it.” Talking of Karnataka’s former coach Gundappa Viswanath; Dravid said, “It makes big difference when you have people around who’ve played international cricket or been in the first-class system for a long time. If you can pick their brains and learn from them — if they are willing to share their experiences, it goes a long way in helping you navigate your first steps in first-class cricket.” READ: Rahul Dravid to mentor Delhi Daredevils for IPL 2016
Dravid added breaking the ice between the coach and players is very important, “One of the good ways to learn is to listen to other players and their experiences — through stories. Over the years, we’ve learnt so much through stories and conversations. Watching them play and go about their business is equally important and a really great way to learn things.”
On the dream of young cricketers wanting to play in IPL, he said, “They all watch the IPL and there is no doubt that they would want to share the dressing room with some of the greats in the Indian team and their heroes — which otherwise they would have to play international cricket to get. They all want to do that. But you get a sense that a lot of them want to break into the Ranji Trophy teams and establish themselves there as well. It’s becoming more and more obvious that the route to being selected in the Indian team is through the Ranji Trophy. Even in the IPL, a lot of people are looking at performances in domestic matches. They want to make it into their Ranji Trophy sides.”