Rahul Dravid finally reveals why Ishan Kishan fallout happened

Former Team India head coach Rahul Dravid opened up about the selection headache regarding team combinations and maintaining balance within the squad. The former captain stated that a head coach must manage the environment, handle selection matters, and deal with the emotions surrounding them.

Dravid served as India’s head coach in two World Cups. India dominated the 2023 World Cup at home, remaining unbeaten until the final, where they missed the title. He ended his coaching stint on a high, leading India to World Cup glory in 2024, a fitting conclusion after the heartbreak of the previous campaign.

Not Everyone Will Agree With You At Times - Rahul Dravid

During his appearance on Breakfast with Champions, Rahul Dravid admitted that one of the toughest aspects is explaining selection decisions to players who are left out, as not everyone will understand the reasoning.

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"Your job really is to manage that environment as best as you possibly can - manage the environment, the selection, and the issues around it," Dravid said.

"The challenge lies in communicating with players when they aren’t picked, explaining why certain people are dropped, or why a particular combination is being played. Not everyone will agree with you at times, and that’s part of the job," he added.

You Simply Can Not Make Everyone Happy - Rahul Dravid

Rahul Dravid said that sometimes there isn’t a clear reason for leaving out certain players. He acknowledged that even those omitted, like Ishan Kishan, are capable of succeeding if given a chance. However, tough decisions are inevitable with limited spots available.

"Sometimes, you don’t even have strong enough explanations for why someone isn’t selected. They might be good enough, but someone else happens to be equally good and performing well, so you can’t change the team," Rahul Dravid continued.

"Given an opportunity, those left out would probably do well too. But only eleven can play, or only six or five batsmen can fit in. In a country like India, where there’s so much talent, I don’t envy the selectors or head coaches who have to have these tough conversations because the reality is, you simply cannot make everyone happy."

Ishan Kishan Removed From BCCI's Central Contract List in 2024

Ishan Kishan was removed from the BCCI’s central contract list in early 2024 after skipping domestic matches despite clear instructions from the board. Both he and Shreyas Iyer were penalized for missing the final round of the Ranji Trophy.

After taking a break from cricket, Kishan returned during IPL 2024 for the Mumbai Indians. He later represented Jharkhand in domestic cricket and was reinstated in the 2025 central contract list in April.

The wicketkeeper-batter has scored 933 runs in ODIs at an average of 42.40, including a double century. He has also amassed 796 runs in T20Is with six fifties. Kishan was considered for India’s fifth Test against England following Rishabh Pant’s injury, but had to withdraw due to fitness concerns.

Also read: Pakistan gets hosting rights for T20 World Cup; India withdraws