Rahul Dravid backs young guns to fire for India in the near future

Coach of the Indian Colts aka the Under-19 Cricket team Rahul Dravid has done a fairly amazing job with the side in recent times. Of course, they did not win the final of the World Cup last year, but the fact is that the deal-flow of players coming through the ranks has been quite impressive, to say the least. However, with the current batch of players showcasing their mettle, Dravid has stated that it is better to fail early on and get validated in an early stage.

“If you fail and get good feedback, you go back with the right reflections. In my opinion, it’s better than having succeeded and not reflected on it, especially at this age. When I was young, I was always told not to focus on results. They key was just to learn.”

“It’s better they are exposed now than in December. They are not used to batting in those conditions, obviously. So if they fail now, they know what to work on,” he said.

He also went on to add that the younger players needed to be molded into fine individuals as well. “Young players need more molding as India ‘A’ players have already done well in the domestic season and are trying to impress the selectors. You cannot tell those guys what to do,” he said.

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Speaking about his persona as a coach, Dravid went on to add that he was one of those who likes gelling with the team.  “The last batch, after three months of being together were making fun of me. Yes, it does take a bit of time to get used to things especially with the new guys, but as I said, the mood is very relaxed. I’m not here to shout at them, I’m just here to help them improve. That’s why I’m rotating the squad so that everyone gets a chance to play.”

One of Dravid’s wards in the U19 side is Prithvi Shaw, someone who has been impressive and also played the Ranji Trophy final for Mumbai as well.  “Firstly, it’s great on Mumbai Cricket Association’s (MCA) part that they encourage youngsters. It’s really interesting that in the 16 months I’ve been part of this setup, it’s only the MCA guys who call asking about the performance of their player. Nobody from other associations calls. They did the same with Armaan Jaffer last year, and they’re doing the same with Prithvi. That tells you lot why Mumbai cricket is so successful.

“About Prithvi, yes, he’s talented, but there’s still a long way to go for him. None of these guys are finished products.That’s what my job here is – to make them aware of their shortcomings and guide them. I don’t care about the results, but if they improve, then it’s good for them. There’s no magic pill,” he said.