'After 2023 WC I think...': Karthik's unique response to Shastri's criticism of Dravid for taking break from NZ tour
Ravi Shastri, who was succeeded by Dravid for the head coach position last year, was left furious as the India legend took a break from an important tour. Responding to the criticism, Dinesh Karthik made a unique suggestion.
Team India is presently part of the three-match T20I series in New Zealand. But the side is without the services of some of their big-name players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. India also have sent former India cricketer VVS Laxman to coach the Hardik Pandya-led Indian side as incumbent coach Rahul Dravid has taken a break from the entire New Zealand tour. Ravi Shastri, who was succeeded by Dravid for the head coach position last year, was left furious as the India legend took a break from an important tour. Responding to the criticism, Dinesh Karthik made a unique suggestion.
"I do not believe is breaks," Shastri had said before the start of the series. "Because I want to understand my team, I want to understand my players and I want to then, be in control of that team. These breaks... what do you need that many breaks for to be honest? You get your 2-3 months of the IPL, that's enough for you to rest as a coach. But other times, I think a coach should be hands on, whoever he is."
Speaking to Cricbuzz on Shastri's comment, Karthik gave a logical explanation behind Dravid's absence saying that India would be travelling to Bangladesh soon for the Test series and the contest will be overlapping with the ongoing New Zealand tour.
“As we speak, on the 30th, the team is going to Bangladesh and this New Zealand series isn't going to get over on the 30th. I don't think he can be in two places at one time. So it is very understandable,” he said.
However, Karthik believes that with tours and series more likely to overlap in the future with the volume of cricket being played, it is time that India go the England way and make two separate set-ups - one more red-ball cricket and the other for white-ball - with two separate coaches.
“That is something which Team India needs to look into after the 2023 ODI World Cup when the contract is up for renewal, I think split coaching is something that has very very high plausibility. With Test cricket getting an interesting dynamic with the World Test Championship which means every two years you have something to play for. So you will end up having a very different set of players playing Test cricket. In white-ball cricket, you will have players playing both formats but you will see a lot of Test players not being a part of it,” he explained.
“So I don't mind having a different Test and white-ball coach which the English team has embraced. And when you have so much volume of cricket played where certain tours tend to overlap as well you will have coaches selecting which is of the bigger context. The two Tests in Bangladesh and four against Australia are now important because they will give India a crack at the World Test Championship final and hence they have chosen to be part of those series. Hence a full-fledged side to go to Bangladesh and Australia Test series. T20 will take a big backseat right now because you have two years to prepare for the next World Cup.”