Rahul Dravid, the head coach of the India men’s national team, has demanded a “all-round review” of the lengthy domestic season, which has been criticised recently by players like R Sai Kishore and Shardul Thakur.
After the Ranji Trophy semi-final in Mumbai, Shardul said that the BCCI should “re-look at it and give longer breaks” since it is “extremely tough on domestic players to play 10 games in a row with just a three-day gap”. However, Tamil Nadu captain Sai Kishore had noted that the quick bowlers are being affected by shorter game intervals, and that he, as a spinner, was having to make due with little pre-match preparation in order to keep up with the constant barrage of matches.
Speaking after India defeated England 4-1 in the series in Dharamsala, Dravid threw his support behind the cause and said it was “important” to pay attention to the players who put in the hard work.
“I’ve also heard the same thing. I believe I noticed some of Shardul’s remarks. In fact, a few of the new lads on the squad have also mentioned how difficult the domestic schedule is, particularly given how much travel is required in a place like India. Indeed, we must listen to the players. That’s a crucial component in many of these situations, Dravid stated.
“You need to hear your players, because they are the ones going through the grind and putting their bodies on the line, and if there are enough voices saying that, then yeah, I think there’s some need to look at it, and see how we can manage our schedules.”
Reexamining whether some of the events are “necessary in this day and age” is something Dravid wants to undertake after seeing how “tough” the season can be for home players.
“In India, the season is already extended. It’s difficult,” remarked Dravid. “The Ranji Trophy season is lengthy, and when you have a Duleep and a Deodhar in the mix…If my memory serves me correctly, the Duleep began play in June of last year, only one month after the IPL. The issue here is that your finest players—the individuals who are vying for selection for India—end up playing the most cricket. Because their teams are most often the ones competing in the semifinals and finals, or similar scenarios, and because they are consistently being chosen for selection at the next level. They are the ones that ultimately participate in a lot of cricket, and you It can be difficult for many of those lads to play for India, especially the India A trips, so perhaps we should give them some space.
“Perhaps we ought to take another look to determine whether or not some of the competitions we have are still relevant in this day and age. A comprehensive evaluation including coaches and players is necessary, particularly for those who compete in the domestic circuit.”
