Rahul Dravid, the head coach of the Indian cricket team, has called for a comprehensive review of domestic cricket in India, particularly the Ranji Trophy. Dravid’s comments come in response to concerns raised by players, including Shardul Thakur, about the demanding schedule and its impact on player recovery.
The Ranji Trophy, India’s premier first-class cricket tournament, has been criticized for its relentless schedule, with only three-day breaks between matches. This has led to concerns about player injuries and burnout. Dravid acknowledged these concerns, emphasizing the need to listen to the players’ perspectives.
“We need to hear the players. They are the ones going through the grind and putting their bodies on the line,” Dravid said. “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.”
Dravid also highlighted the issue of top players being unavailable for their domestic teams due to clashes with India A tours. This has deprived state teams of their best players, further exacerbating the challenges of the demanding schedule.
“Your best players, the guys who are pushing for selection for India, are the ones that end up playing the most cricket,” Dravid said. “They are the ones who end up playing a lot of cricket, and you also want them to be playing for India and India A tours. So it can get quite tough on a lot of those boys.”
Dravid suggested that a comprehensive review involving coaches and players is necessary to address these issues. He questioned the necessity of certain tournaments and emphasized the need to prioritize player well-being.
“Maybe we need to relook and see whether some of the tournaments that we are conducting are necessary in this day and age or they are not necessary,” Dravid said. “There needs to be an all-round review [involving] coaches and players, especially the guys who are part of the domestic circuit.”
