New York [US], June 4 (ANI): Ahead of his side’s T20 World Cup campaign opener against Ireland, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid confirmed that the tournament is his last as the coach with Men in Blue.
India will start their T20 WC campaign against Ireland in New York on July 5.
During the pre-match press conference, Dravid said that even though the tournament is his last one, it is just as same in importance as his other assignments.
“Every game I have coached for India is important. This is the last tournament in job. I have enjoyed coaching India, it is great to work with these boys. It is a special job. But there are schedules where I find myself that at this stage of my life, I won’t be able to apply,” said Dravid.
The head coach also said that it is a slighty different, but an exciting challenge to play in US, where cricket is not a popular performance.
“You do not feel that kind of buzz here. Once the games start and Indian fans come in, hopefully we will see that excitement. I don’t think our preparation, way of approaching things, what we want to achieve, it has not changed,” he added.
On the team’s potential top order, Dravid said that there are options ready, but it would not be revealed now.
Dravid also said that he does not think that toss would be a big factor and dew would not play a big role in the day games that India will play.
“I do not think toss will be that big factor. It is not something in our control. There is no history of us knowing wickets here. This place is unknown to all. I do not also expect dew to play a lot of role here, which would have made the toss important,” said Dravid.
“You want these games to be played when toss doesn’t have much of a say. The outfields are also unknown to most of us. We will have to see. We have to learn to adapt and react to it. We have enough experience for that,” he added.
On playing in the recent ICC tournaments and not being able to win trophies, Dravid said, “We have played well in these tournaments, we have been consistent. We played well across all formats, be it World Test Championship final, 50 over and 20 over World Cups, where reached the finals last year and a semifinal in 2022. The quality of our cricket is up there with some of the best. Hopefully, we get across the line and play some good cricket. When you start these tournaments, you have to think about reaching such situations (knockouts), which is as difficult as winning those big matches,” said the coach.
On the wicket at Nassau County Stadium in New York, Dravid said that one will have to manage an unknown surface.
“The wickets were new on the first day, it was seaming. But a wicket is a wicket. You have to manage. We would not complain. We have enough experience for it. Maybe we wouldn’t play the type of T20I that is usually played, but we will have to adapt. Maybe, sometimes, 140 will be a winning score, sometimes, 200 runs. There would be no one way to play,” said the coach.
India will start their T20 World Cup campaign on June 5 against Ireland at the newly constructed Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
The blockbuster clash between India and Pakistan will take place on June 9. India will later play tournament co-hosts USA (June 12) and Canada (June 15) to wrap up their Group A matches.
In the tournament, India will be aiming to end their ICC trophy drought, having last won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. Since then, India has reached the 50-over World Cup final in 2023, semifinal in 2015 and 2019, the title clash of the ICC World Test Championship in 2021 and 2023, T20 WC final in 2014, semifinals in 2016 and 2022 but failed to secure a big ICC trophy.
India squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj
Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan. (ANI)
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