Rahul Dravid: ‘With months to go for World Cup or Asia Cup, we are running out of time’

In the first ODI between India and West Indies, Rohit Sharma didn’t open the innings, leaving room for Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill to get the innings underway. Virat Kohli, too, was pencilled in to come out to bat at No 8 with Shardul Thakur, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav batting ahead.

For the second ODI, Indian team management decided to rest both Rohit and Kohli and included Sanju Samson with Axar Patel also in the playing XI.

With the side changed significantly, India produced a poor show with bat and were bundled out for 181 runs. With a modest total to chase, West Indies coasted to a 6-wicket win, their first over India since December 2019, to level the three-match series at 1-1.

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Indian cricket team coach Rahul Dravid admitted the aim is to find backup options with many players injured. For India, this is the last chance to figure out their options ahead of the Asia Cup and ODI World Cup.

“This was our last chance to be able to try out our players; we have got few of our players who are injured, who are in the NCA. You know, with months to go for the World Cup or Asia Cup, we are kind of running out of time in a lot of ways, and we are hopeful that some of him will be at least fit for the Asia Cup and the World Cup. But we cannot take our chances as we have to try out other people, so that in a worst case scenario they have game time behind them,” he said.

“We will always look into the bigger picture and we cannot think about every single game and series.”

“In the series like this, with only two-three matches to go before the World Cup and Asia Cup, playing Virat and Rohit would not have given us answers,” the former Indian player added.

With the Indian think tank criticised for their playing XI choices, Dravid said they don’t worry about the opinions of others and want to give chances to youngsters.

“We are not too worried about others opinions, these are the talented boys from our country, they all have performed and come here. It is up to them to take the opportunity when they are given the opportunity. We were little disappointed toward, we knew it was a tricky wicket and not an easy wicket to bat on but we needed to somehow get to 230-240 that could have been a very good score. We lost wickets in the middle and were 50-60 run short,” he added.

One of the players in focus is Suryakumar Yadav. The prolific run-scorer in the T20 format, has struggled in the 50 overs. He endured three consecutive golden ducks against Australia and has so far produced 19 and 24 against the Windies.

“Surya is a really good player, there is no doubt about it, his performance has shown that. Unfortunately, I think he would also be the first one to admit that his ODI have not been up to his own high-standards that he has set in T20s. He is also learning one-day cricket. He is a good player, and we want to give him as many opportunity as we can and then it is up to him to take those opportunities,” Dravid said.

“I think Ishan has done really well, again, he is taking the opportunities when he has been given a chance, and that is what we want from young players,” added Dravid.