Ever since Rahul Dravid took the baton of coaching from Ravi Shastri, things have not been easy for him. He and the coaching staff are targeted heavily when the Indian team fails to live up to the expectations of their fans.
Rahul Should not always be blamed
Renowned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar thinks that Team India’s head coach Rahul Dravid should not be blamed whenever the Men in Blue face fails to perform.
He believes that the function of a cricket coach differs greatly from that of a football coach. The veteran cricketer added that the panel selectors wield more authority than Dravid. The head coach has often been criticized for the selection of playing 11 and the squad.
He also holds the view that coaching in cricket does not hold a big significance in losing or winning a game or tournament.
He explained, “People often confuse a cricket coach with a football coach. In cricket, a coach doesn’t have enough power. Even when the team was picked. Rahul Dravid was not part of the meeting. When a team wins or loses, the contribution of a coach is marginal. Rohit Sharma is very experienced, and there are a few others in the team as well. So, it is a combined effort. I believe that the chairman of selectors has more power than the coach.”
Manjrekar talks about the pressure on India, being the home team in World Cup 2023
Sanjay Manjrekar also discussed how Team India will face additional pressure as the hosts of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023.
He predicted that the stakes would be quite high as India would be in front of their home crowd. Manjrekar praised MS Dhoni and said that he deserves a lot of credit for leading the Men in Blue to a World Cup victory on Indian soil in 2011, as it was not as easy as it seems.
The commentator said, “There were a lot of expectations in 2011 as well. It was different in 1983, as there wasn’t the added pressure of expectations. India was expected to win the World Cup in 2011. I consider this a significant achievement for MS Dhoni, as he was able to deliver amid all the expectations. Yes, there is a home advantage, but the pressure is also a lot higher”
Talking about the expectations he said that fans won’t be looking for India to only make it to the knockout matches, which will be the semis. The team will have added pressure to clinch the shining trophy of the World Cup.
“Qualifying for the semi-finals is not a big enough goal for Indian cricket now. It is about performing in the knockout matches. India has players who can perform on the big stage. After the MS Dhoni-led side’s World Cup win, every captain had the responsibility to win world titles just like they win bilaterals”, Manjrekar Said.
