Former India head coach Rahul Dravid has heaped massive praise on captain Rohit Sharma, crediting him for transforming the team’s approach in T20 cricket and setting new global standards for aggressive batting.Speaking about India’s evolution in the shortest format, Dravid said the shift towards a fearless, high-scoring style was a conscious move taken jointly with Rohit after he took charge.
“Can’t speak for what happened before me. It’s not for me to say that,” Dravid said on the new episode of Breakfast with Champions.“But certainly from the time I came in a lot of the discussion with Rohit was around that we wanted to play a more aggressive brand of cricket. We started right from the beginning. Because we could see that that’s the way the game was evolving.“And Rohit’s got to take a large credit for that. To move the team in a particular direction. Play the game in a lot more aggressive and a lot more positive manner.” Dravid went on to say that India’s explosive batting in T20Is has redefined the format.“I’m glad that we sort of kept going in that direction to the point where I think India’s kind of literally absolutely… I think changing what T20 cricket is like. I think Indian batting in T20 cricket at the moment is off the charts. I mean, it’s close to 300. And everyone else in the world is now having to catch up. I think in the space of 3 or 4 years you’re seeing that everyone’s looking at India and saying Shucks man, we’ve got to match this,” he added.
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While Dravid admitted coaches play a role in giving players confidence, he emphasised that the real credit belongs to the players and leaders who take the risks on the field.“I mean, I wouldn’t say like me. I would say these players. They are the players who do that. “I mean, I’m not saying that I shouldn’t get any credit. But it has to be driven by the leaders. It has to be driven by the captain.“It has to be driven by the players. Because they’ve got to do it. They’ve got to take the risks. You might be giving them a certain amount of security but in the end, they’re the ones who’ve got to take those chances, take those risks.”
