Ravichandran Ashwin explains why Rahul Dravid is taking a sabbatical from coaching. Rahul Dravid and the rest of India’s coaching staff will return for the country’s tour of Bangladesh.
After India fail to win the T20 World Cup, former India head coach Ravi Shastri question Rahul Dravid. And his support staff for having a day off only one day before India’s first T20I match against New Zealand on Thursday, November 18, at the Sky Stadium in Wellington.
Dravid’s coaching duties have been delegate to NCA President VVS Laxman while they are gone. Two NCA teachers, Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Sairaj Bahutule, are joining Laxman on the tour. Dravid, Vikram Rathour, and Paras Mhambrey are expect to return before the group flies to Bangladesh for an ODI and Test series in December.
In a virtual news conference prior of the First T20I, Shastri revealed that he does not believe in taking breaks . And that the coaching staff is always needed to stay with the squad as it helps them see how various players respond in different scenarios. The former World Champion also emphasized that every coach receives at least a 2-3 month rest during the IPL, which he believes is sufficient.
However, India’s off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin disagrees with Shastri and has indicated why the coaching staff is on vacation. On his YouTube channel, the 36-year-old discussed the difficulties Rahul Dravid and his teammates had during the T20 World Cup, mentioning how it may lead to mental and physical tiredness.
They would have suffered from both mental and physical exhaustion: Ashwin, Ravi
“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.