Meeting between Jay Shah and Dravid before important responsibilities
Jay Shah, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), recently had a meeting with Rahul Dravid, the head coach of Team India. It may seem like a routine interaction, but this offshore rendezvous holds more significance than meets the eye. The meeting occurred prior to the two Twenty20 Internationals against West Indies in Lauderhill, Florida on August 12 and 13.
The meeting between BCCI Secretary Jay Shah and Indian cricket team’s head coach Rahul Dravid reportedly took place at the hotel where Shah was staying in Miami. While the Indian team was accommodated at Marriott, Dravid made the effort to drive down and meet Shah. It is worth mentioning that this meeting occurred during Shah’s private visit to the US, and he was even captured by television cameras during the fifth and final T20I on August 13.
This meeting holds great importance, despite its seemingly routine nature. It comes ahead of two crucial assignments for the Indian team – the Asia Cup and the World Cup. While some level of planning for these significant events may have occurred during this meeting, specific details remain undisclosed. There is also uncertainty about any additions to the coaching staff. Currently, there is no information about anyone joining the preparatory camp for the Asia Cup, which is set to start on August 24 in Alur, Bengaluru.
I’d like to note that this meeting takes place in the context of the Indian team’s disappointing performance, which has received significant criticism based on recent results. Shah has expressed the BCCI’s strong commitment to winning the World Cup, which they are hosting.
There have been various criticisms from experts regarding the management of players and matches by the team, specifically focusing on the performance of the Indian batting lineup. Parthiv Patel, for example, suggested on Cricbuzz that Team India might benefit from having a separate coach specifically for T20Is.
Additionally, Venkatesh Prasad, a former India pacer and bowling coach, expressed strong disappointment with Dravid’s leadership. He highlighted ordinary performances and a lack of hunger and intensity in the team’s approach. Prasad emphasized the importance of avoiding complacency and prioritizing improvement over favoritism.
The selection committee has not yet received information about the finalized team for the Asia Cup. As Rahul Dravid and his team are now back in India, it is expected that the selection process will occur in the coming days. There are suggestions from some sources that the selection might take place after the first Twenty20I match in Ireland, which marks Jasprit Bumrah’s return to action after an absence of almost 11 months.
There hasn’t been any official communication from the managers at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru regarding KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer, who recently participated in a warm-up game. Although this doesn’t mean that either player isn’t match-fit, formal approval from the NCA is still pending. The expectation is that the NCA will inform both the BCCI and the selectors prior to the selection meeting.
Why Jay Shah meeting Rahul Dravid is warning sign?
- Rahul Dravid has been appointed as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, succeeding Ravi Shastri. Shastri led India to victory in two Border-Gavaskar trophies
- However, under Dravid’s leadership, the Indian cricket team has established itself as a dominant force in bilateral matches.
- Dravid’s tenure as the leader of the Indian team has seen them face defeats in two World Test Championship Finals against New Zealand and Australia.
- India faced another humiliation in the T20 World Cup as they were thoroughly defeated by England, suffering a crushing 10-wicket loss.
Although injuries to key players cannot be solely attributed to Rahul Dravid, the lack of positive outcomes is evident. As the Asia Cup 2023 and World Cup 2023 draw near, the team’s stability remains uncertain.
What has gone wrong for India cricket team?
Managing workload has been a persistent challenge for NCA (National Cricket Academy) as they have not taken any measures to alleviate the situation. Dravid, as the coach, has often had to work with depleted squads due to frequent and recurring injuries in almost every series, including Asia Cup 2022 and World Cup 2022. Notable players like KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Deepak Chahar, Shreyas Iyer, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah have all suffered from long-standing injuries on numerous occasions.
To compound the challenges, Rahul Dravid faced a lack of captaincy consistency throughout his tenure. He had to navigate the leadership styles of eight different captains across three formats.
Frequent Squad Rotation: India have had to rotate their squad frequently due to workload management. Two of the players who have been rested the most are Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
However, the selection process and decisions made by Rahul Dravid and the selection committee are where the blame lies. Sanju Samson has not received consistent support, except for during the West Indies tour. It remains unclear what role he is best suited for.
In ODIs, despite numerous failures, Suryakumar Yadav continues to be backed. R Ashwin was brought back for ODIs but does not seem to be in consideration for the ODI World Cup in India. Mohammad Shami was initially excluded from T20 plans but later brought back alongside Ashwin. One area where the Indian cricket team seems to be lacking is long-term vision.
For example, Ajinkya Rahane was brought back as vice-captain for the West Indies Test series, but it’s uncertain if he will get another chance. Additionally, players like Bumrah, Pant, Hardik, and Pujara have all taken on important roles in the team. However, there doesn’t seem to be a clear answer to who will succeed Rohit Sharma as captain of the Indian cricket team.
