Playing warm-up matches before overseas tours is beneficial: Rahul Dravid

The Indian team’s performance this year, especially in Test cricket on overseas conditions, hasn’t been impressive by any means. Virat Kohli’s men have already lost in South Africa and England, albeit they notched victories in Johannesburg and Nottingham. India are now scheduled to play a couple of practice matches during their upcoming tour of Australia later this year in November.

The Indian captain also criticised the quality of oppositions in those matches. In the meantime, Rahul Dravid, the former Indian cricketer, has disagreed to the Delhi-born batsman’s words and mentioned that India should play at least a couple of matches in order for them to understand the conditions, which is only going to help them in the international red-ball fixtures.

It is not a one-time thing or a two-year thing

“I benefitted hugely from having proper first-class games. Maybe schedules have changed and things are more complicated, but there is no doubt that a couple of first-class games before any Test tour is only going to help. I found this 14 playing 14 [rotation system] started happening towards the end of my career. I did not like those games as a player,” Dravid was quoted as saying in Hindustan Times.

Rahul Dravid also reckons the Indian players don’t get adequate practice with the red-ball and hence, hasn’t been consistent despite being excellent players in white-ball cricket.

“Work constantly needs to happen. It is not a one-time thing or a two-year thing. I think it is important to tighten the process or programme that exists at U-19 and A team levels. Make it more robust. Make sure there are opportunities every year,” Rahul Dravid added.

Previously, a number of former Indian cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar lashed out at the Indian team surrounding their refusal to play too many warm-up matches. While in South Africa, they didn’t play a practice game, in England, Kohli’s troops locked horns with Essex in Chelmsford prior to the five-match Test series.

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