- After the Wolrd Cup dabecle, players stand cornered
LOKENDRA PRATAP SAHI
Mumbai: Nobody may confirm, but there apparently were phases in recent times when captain Rahul Dravid had to act as a %u2018messenger%u2019 between coach Greg Chappell and most players.
Sounds unbelievable, but it reportedly did happen.
The complete breakdown in communication meant Dravid, an introvert himself, had to face the music. It%u2019s anybody%u2019s guess just how much it affected him as a person and as a cricketer.
%u201CDravid has come through a very tough period,%u201D is what somebody in the know told The Telegraph on Saturday, the day after the World Cup review.
Meanwhile, Dravid hasn%u2019t only been backing Virender Sehwag both inside and outside selection meetings %u2014 he stood by all his players during the review.
%u201CAt least one official specifically asked about the attitude of certain players, but Dravid insisted there had been nothing wrong with anybody%u2019s behaviour,%u201D revealed a well-placed source.
The gentleman added: %u201CThroughout, Dravid kept saying if anybody had to be faulted, it would be him... His attitude enhanced the already high respect he enjoys...%u201D
Dravid has kept the captaincy and, on the face of it, shouldn%u2019t have problems with stand-in cricket manager (coach) Ravi Shastri. There%u2019s enormous repair work to be done and, so, their task is cut out.
