'Selectors don't pick you to be on holiday': Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid thinks that everyone in the squad has earned his Indian cap and they are not selected to warm the bench or be on holiday.

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Koushik Biswas
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Rahul Dravid, the new Indian Cricket Team's coach for the Sri Lanka vs India series has had a lot to share. India lost the match and there were as many as four debutants in that game. However, it was the situation that lead to that many changes within the team. Not only that Rahul Dravid and management had to add Ishan Porel, Snadeep Warier, Arshdeep Singh in the squad for the reminder of the series.

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It was Krunal's Pandya's covid news that lead to many confusion within the team. Even everyone was confused before the game that who will be playing or not. In fact, there was a lot of confusion on who is quarantined and who is not.

'Selectors don't pick you to be on holiday': Rahul Dravid | Cricket News | SportzPoint

Rahul Dravid. Image- TOI

Before coming into the series Rahul Dravid had already said that he will try to give opportunities to everyone in the squad. And, it was fulfilled as a total of 6 players debuted for India in this tour.

With Devdutt Padikkal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Nitish Rana and Chetan Sakariya debuting in the T20 series, Rahul Dravid think all of them are good enough to play for India.

"After we wrapped up the ODI series, we tried to give a few people a chance. Obviously, circumstances here have forced us to do it here even before we managed to win the series. But I truly believe that if you're selected to play for India – whether it's 15 players or 20 players – you're good enough to play in the XI. I don't really think that the selectors select you in the 15 just to warm the bench or for a holiday,"

Rahuld Dravid before the second T20I

Rahul Dravid on the "outside noise"

This massage from the Indian coach will certainly stop the outside noise of "not earning the cap".

I look at the squad, the 20 guys who are here, each of them has got here through sheer weight of performances. It's not easy in India. People earn the right to come here. It's not everytime that we're going to give everyone a chance here but it's really nice to be able to give as many as you can."

He then added that, "They are earning their India caps. I don't get that argument. Like I said, if you're selected in a team of 15 – with Covid now it's become 20, you are selected keeping in mind that you may need to play in the 11 at any given point of time. You have certainly earned the right to get that cap. It's up to you to take that opportunity and perform. I truly believe everyone who's here has earned it".

Indian Cricket Team Rahul Dravid Srilanka Vs India