Rahul Dravid has no qualms conceding that he wouldn’t “survive” international cricket of today by batting at the pace he did at his prime but neither does he believe that defensive technique will become redundant albeit the “value is decreasing”.
Dravid said the likes of Virat kohli and Rohit Sharma “have blown the ODI paradigm to an all new level” but a Cheteshwar Pujara also will always be needed in Test cricket. As for himself, he doesn’t mind being called defensive as he always wanted to be a Test player.
“If it meant occupying the crease for an extended time or tiring the bowlers out or blunting out the new ball in difficult conditions in order that it’s easier to play later, I did it,” Dravid said on ESPNCricinfo’s Videocast with former India player Sanjay Manjrekar.
“I saw that as my job and took great pride in it…That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to bat like Virendra Sehwag and hit those shots but could also be my talent were different. My talent was determination and concentration and that i worked thereon ,” he added.
The former captain also acknowledged that with quite 300 ODIs under his belt, he wasn’t just there to protect the wicket either.
“Of course i would not have survived today if I batted the way I did in my days. check out the strike rates today. While my strike rate in ODI cricket weren’t up to the extent of Sachin’s or Viru’s but that is the level that we played at some time past ,” he said.
“Obviously i can not compare myself to Kohli or Rohit Sharma because they need blown the ODI paradigm to an all new level. But to be fair I grew up eager to be a Test player,” he asserted.
While cricket has become a high-scoring game, Dravid said defensive batting is what helps one survive tough bowling spells and conditions within the format which remains the top of the sport .
“I think the worth is decreasing but you continue to got to be ready to defend your wicket. See, today don’t actually need to be a Test cricketer to form a living. you’ll make a career in T-20 or ODI and simply survive without a defensive technique,” he acknowledged .
“A generation ago, you had to be a Test cricketer to form a living. Many players today have an honest defense technique whether it’s Kohli, (Kane) Williamson or (Steve) Smith.
Carribean team deaprted Antigua to play test series against England, first international cricket amid covid-19 restrictions
The West Indies cricket team departed from Antigua for a three-test tour of England with the whole touring party based within the Caribbean having returned negative tests to COVID-19.
Earlier on Monday, two planes collected players from various islands within the West Indies and that they joined a personal charter which is thanks to arrive in Manchester on Tuesday morning.
West Indies Cricket said during a statement Monday that on arrival at Old Trafford in Manchester, the whole touring party are going to be quarantined and tested again for COVID-19 as they start the seven-week tour where they’re going to live, train and play during a “bio-secure” environment.
Those protocols will restrict movement in and out of the venues, so a gaggle of reserve players will visit train and help prepare the test squad and ensure replacements are available just in case of injury.
There will be no spectators allowed at the three tests which are being played over just 21 days starting July 8 in Southampton and at Old Trafford from July 16-20 and again from July 24-28.
The venues were chosen because that they had hotels attached or nearby and will be became bio-secure environments.
The original tour was scheduled for May and June but was postponed thanks to coronavirus restrictions.
“This may be a huge breakthrough in cricket and in sports generally as we travel over to England for this series,” captain Jason Holder said.
“A lot has gone into the preparations for what is going to be a replacement introduce the sport .”