Indian head coach Rahul Dravid acknowledged the limited opportunities for players to unite ahead of the T20I World Cup and emphasized the need for mental flexibility before the June event. The upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan serves as India’s final T20 International preparation before the global tournament, and Dravid mentioned the reliance on IPL 2024 for team selection.
“After the last T20I World Cup in
2022, where we prioritized the ODI World Cup, there aren’t many T20I games on our schedule. This T20I World Cup is unique due to the limited preparation time, and we have to make the most of the available cricket, including the IPL,” Dravid stated during his pre-match conference. He stressed the importance of adaptability and flexibility for players, considering the potential scarcity of opportunities to play together.
Dravid acknowledged the challenge, saying, “We might not get too many chances to play together, so we will have to work around that. You just need to adapt and be flexible.” Despite the absence of key players like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Ravindra Jadeja in the T20I series against Afghanistan, Dravid emphasized the necessity of giving players a break due to the demanding schedule.
“It is impossible for all the players to play all the time, especially for those involved in all three formats. We had to prioritize what is important. Bumrah, Siraj, and Jadeja are missing this series to prepare for the five-Test home series against England. So, we are always playing that juggling act a little bit over the last two years,” Dravid concluded.
