IND vs BAN: 'Greg Chappell's intentions were...' - Irfan Pathan warns Rahul Dravid on rift between Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan gave head coach Rahul Dravid a stern reminder ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA). Irfan Pathan shared advice on how to handle skipper Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Hardik Pandya in the upcoming ICC tournament.

Hardik Pandya was appointed as captain of the Mumbai Indians (MI) for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Reports suggested a rift between Hardik and Rohit Sharma in the dressing room. It impacted the team's performance as the Mumbai-based team finished at the bottom of the 10-team points table.

Rohit Sharma was appointed as captain and Hardik Pandya as vice-captain for the T20 World Cup 2024. Head coach Rahul Dravid will have a tough task to unite the two senior players and prevent a rift in the Indian dressing room. Notably, it will be the final assignment for Dravid with the Indian team as head coach.

Aggression Won't Work - Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan highlighted the failure of Greg Chappell's aggressive Australian approach within the Indian cricket setup. Pathan acknowledged Chappell's pure intentions for Indian cricket but stressed the need for a balanced approach in the Indian team.

“Australia do not have a celebrity culture, but we have that. Ideally, I would want that balance between the two cultures. But we are Indians, out mindset and ethics are different. I said this before as well, when Greg Chappell came in, his intentions were pure. He wanted Indian cricket to go on a high and hence wanted every player to be treated equally and work in the same way. But his way was proper Australian, which did not work in India. I have huge respect for him. I told to him as well that while you want Indian cricket to grow, this aggression won't work,” Pathan said.

Greg Chappell served as the head of the Indian men's national cricket team from 2005 to 2007. The legendary Australian cricketer's tenure ended after a disastrous campaign at the 2007 ODI World Cup. The Men in Blue were eliminated in the group stage, marking a disappointing chapter in their cricket history.

I Will Not Even Discuss This - Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan expressed confidence in Rahul Dravid regarding his role in the team and his ability to contribute to India's success in the T20 World Cup. Pathan stated that Hardik Pandya will play a crucial role as a fast-bowling all-rounder.

“I will not even discuss this. Whatever happened has happened. I will just say that this is my expectation from you: I want you to win matches for India. This is the roadmap, and you are an important part of the team and a match-winner. Being an all-rounder, I will say he will play a crucial role. How many fast bowlers have we taken? Just three specialist bowlers, besides Hardik and Shivam Dube. So when the time comes, these 3-4 overs will become very crucial," Pathan added.

The Rohit Sharma-led team will begin their World Cup preparations with a warm-up match against Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Saturday, June 1. The Men in Blue will play their World Cup opener against Ireland on June 5 at the same venue.

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