Rahul Dravid urges BCCI: Former India captain hinted at providing guidance to players than handing them harsh punishments.
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Former India captain and current coach of India A and India U-19 Rahul Dravid has opened up on the suspensions being handed to India opening batsman Lokesh Rahul and all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
Dravid was clear in his words when he said that we should not overreact on the given situation. “It is not that players did not make mistakes in the past. It is not that mistakes will not be made in the future despite our best efforts to educate the youth. But let us not overreact please,” Dravid was quoted as saying in an interview to The Hindu.
Citing the fact that players come from different backgrounds, Dravid urged the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to provide education and guidance to players.
“Players come from different teams and their roles of responsibility need to be addressed. Issues will always be there and we have to educate and guide then. They should be told they can’t abuse the system,” Dravid said.
Laying emphasis on players learning from their seniors, Dravid said that it was something he practiced in his initial years. “I learnt from watching seniors in Karnataka, from parents and coaches. They were my role models. No one sat me down and gave me a lecture. I observed and learnt. The best learning process happens in the dressing room from your seniors. But we should not over-react,” the India A and India U-19 coach concluded.
If reports in The Times of India are to be believed, Supreme Court-appointed CoA (Committee of Administrators) is also considering behavioural counselling program for the Indian players after all that had happened with Rahul and Pandya. The said program will also include national teams of all age groups and the ‘A’ squads.
“The Indian senior team as well as the Emerging, A teams and U-19s will have behavioural counselling session at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The course will deal with every aspect of a professional sportsperson’s life. There will also be sessions on gender sensitivity,” a senior BCCI official was quoted on the condition of anonymity.
