IND vs SA | Unrealistic to expect to keep playing the same XI over and over again, proclaims Rahul Dravid

10/02/2022

Rahul Dravid has stated that it is a bit unrealistic to expect to play the same XI every time as sometimes the situation compels team management to do so. Dravid further added that there is clarity in communication within the Indian team and the players understand why certain things are happening.

After their recent debacle in the Asia Cup, India bounced back to form winning the T20I series against Australia. The team also started on a positive note against South Africa by beating them with eight wickets registering an easy win. However, they have suffered a lot of injuries in recent months. Jasprit Bumrah was injured and missed the Asia Cup as well. He has sustained an injury once again and his availability in the T20 World Cup is still uncertain.

Harshal Patel also returned in the Australia series after staying away from the game after a few months. Also, senior players in the team like Virat Kohli have been given rest for workload management. As a result of all these happenings, India have tried too many players in their playing XI.

Indian team have received a heavy backlash in recent times over the constant changing and chopping of the final XI and head coach Rahul Dravid has voiced his opinion on the matter. Dravid stated that it is a bit unrealistic to expect to keep playing an unchanged lineup in every game as situations such as injuries or workload management make it important for team management to rope in different players.

"It is a bit unrealistic to expect to keep playing the same players over and over again. Some of the changes or experiments as people like to call them are sometimes forced upon you. Bumrah doesn't play the last game, it's because he is injured. Sometimes we have to give people a workload break," Dravid said in a presser ahead of second T20I.

India’s recent losses in Asia Cup has led to some former cricketers suggesting changes in the team for the T20 World Cup. Also, there is still a debate around place of either Dinesh Karthik or Rishabh Pant in the playing XI. Dravid revealed that the team is very sure and confident about what they want to achieve. He also mentioned that the players have been given calrity over the vision of the team and they do understand the reason behind certain things.

"We can't win either way. We played the same eleven in the last SA series and people were questioning that. Whatever we do, people are going to say that. In the group, we are very confident and sure about what we have been doing. You know sometimes it doesn't seem apparent from the outside but there are a lot of things people from outside can't know. In the group, the communication has been very good. In the team, the communication has been very good. There can be a bit of noise outside but in the group, people have been given a lot of clarity as to why certain things are happening," the head coach said.

India will be up against South Africa in the second T20I in Guwahati on Sunday and they would look to register a series win over visitors.