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Everyone wasn't happy with Dravid's success as captain, reveals Greg Chappell. posted under: India | All news |
 India’s former coach Greg Chappell’s new book ‘Rahul Dravid – Timeless Steel’ was released a couple of days back and it’s making headlines already with some startling statements. According to Chappell, if Dravid was given the same support he gave other captains, he would have been India’s most successful captain, and added that not everyone was happy with his success when he captained the team.
“Sadly the success of the team was not universally enjoyed within the team. Some individuals felt threatened by the new world order and appeared to work against Rahul. Had he been given the same wholehearted support in the role that he had given others, I think the recent history of Indian cricket may have been very different and he could have gone on to become the most successful Indian captain ever,” Chappell has written in his new book.
The former coach wrote about how “The Wall” had guided his team to a record 9-consecutive ODI wins in a row against Pakistan and England and going on to completing a world record 17 straight wins, batting second. He also stated that the same approach to the game had helped India win Test matches abroad as well.
“To learn how to get better at chasing a target, Rahul kept asking the opposition to bat first, no matter the conditions. Under his leadership, India won nine ODIs in a row against Pakistan and England, and went on to complete a world record of 17 consecutive wins batting second.
“A similar approach to Test cricket brought about India's first overseas victory in the West Indies for 35 years and a first-ever Test victory in South Africa, which could have been turned into a series win if the team had batted better in the second innings in the final Test in Cape Town,” he added, referring to India's Test series victory (1-0 in the four-match series) in the Caribbean in 2006, followed by their maiden win in Johannesburg's opening Test of the 2006-07 series, before Dravid's team lost the next two games to the Proteas.
Chappell has also written about the gentleman that Dravid was, on and off the field, saying that he never took rash decisions as a player or speak ill of anyone else. He also added that he had an excellent relationship with the batsman and communicated with him well, inlike his stormy encounters with Sourav Ganguly. He spoke about the courage that Dravid had shown in near-death situations, which had helped him steer his team away from the jaws of defeat. Also according to Chappell, if Dravid had underperformed in any innings, he would seek the former Australian captain’s help and always manage to get right back up there.
“Men don't say these things, but I have a genuine affection for Rahul Dravid. He was an excellent deputy, in that he gave whole-hearted support without ever thinking he might be better than the incumbent, and when he got the job he was a much better captain than he will ever be credited with,” Chappell has written.
Speaking about Dravid’s leadership style, Chappell has also written: “His propensity to think things through may have meant that he was always going to appear conservative tactically, but going by that would be to underestimate his ability to take calculated risks.” |
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