Rahul Dravid as coach- The Wrong Choice

Rahul Dravid is the new coach of the Indian National Cricket Team. Not surprisingly, his appointment has been received with praise on social media and the press. One of the greats to play the game and a proven coach at the under-19 level. I for one am not too thrilled by the selection. 

The Great Developer

Rahul Dravid is my favourite Indian cricketer of all time. His contribution to the Indian team over the years is second to none but his contribution as a developer of young talent may be the best we've ever seen. 

It is tough to remember a time where India's depth and bench strength in the sport has been as good as it is today. Sure, the IPL and overall infrastructure has acted as a catalyst, but a key player in this remarkable growth has been Dravid. His work in developing not only the skill but also the mental strength and attitude of young players is evident.

Having a rich bench is the key to sustained success. The Australian sides of the late 90's and early 00's was one of the greatest to play the game. Yet, after the retirement of that generation the Aussies have struggled to maintain their hold at the top of the sport and their depth has looked startlingly weak. The same is the case with Sri Lanka which is going through a long and painful rebuild after the retirement of some of their greats. Politics has played a role too, but the bench development hasn't existed as it should have. 

What defines a sporting nation's success is not the abundance of talent. It is the development of that talent to achieve their maximum potential that will determine how successful a country will be. The man who has done it so successfully is moving to a new position. 

The Chemistry 

The other question that must be asked is Dravid's relationship with Virat Kohli. In any sport the relationship between the star player/captain of a team and the team's coach is sacrosanct, especially with strong personalities. 

Ganguly and John Wright vs Ganguly and Greg Chappel. Kohli and Ravi Shastri vs Kohli and Anil Kumble. We've witnessed the dynamics of the Captain/Coach relationship work as a dream and also become a distraction and disaster. While one may argue that Dravid is a legend of the game and so it will be different. Anil Kumble is a legend too, but it just didn't work. 

It is impossible to predict how their relationship will pan out, I just pray it goes smoothly. 

Where does India Need him? 

Rahul Dravid will undoubtedly contribute in any position he takes up in cricket. Be it as a coach, administrator, mentor or selector. Where will his contribution to Indian Cricket Team be the most? Is it as the coach of the National Team or as the greatest developer of talent of the next generation? 

I for one believe it is the latter. We can find a coach to work with the Indian Team, but to find someone as good as Rahul Dravid to develop young players is far more challenging. 

Photo Credit - https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/news/after-three-unsuccessful-attempts-bcci-manages-to-convince-rahul-dravid-to-take-up-team-india-coaching-job-waiting-for-his-confirmation/articleshow/87053944.cms