Rahul Dravid Identifies A Silver Lining For Cricketers Amid The Current Lockdown Period

Rahul Dravid is one of the most loved and respected cricketers. After his successful career with India, Dravid has played a significant role in grooming upcoming cricketers and coaching the junior teams. Amid the current period when most sports, including cricket have been forced into suspension due to a global health crisis, the former Indian captain sees an upside in it. As the athletes remain apprehensive about quickly getting into shape after sudden abeyance, Dravid spotted a silver lining in the same.

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Many current cricketers have looked up to the retired batsman as their idol growing up. Middle-order batsman Manish Pandey said the same in a recent interview that the Karnataka batsman had helped him in many ways when the runs were hard to come by off his bat. Manish revealed that he was able to speak candidly about his challenges and Dravid helped him overcome it easily. Similarly, upcoming batsman, Shubman Gill was also under his wing.

And in one of the recent live shows on Facebook, the 47-year old has made the current athletes see the lockdown from a different perspective. Rahul Dravid mentioned that he has already been advising a lot of cricketers to use this time to give their mind and body to rest and it’s an opportunity one might never get. If used these 2-3 months judiciously, a player can prolong their careers by a few more years.

“I have been telling a lot of the cricketers to see it as an opportunity to rest the body, rest the mind, you will never get that opportunity, never get that chance,” he said. “Think about it, if you use these two months well, three months well, you could elongate your career by two or three years at the back end which you might not have if you didn’t have this kind of break.” Rahul Dravid said as quoted by News18.com

You are going to be rusty but I don’t think you will forget your game: Rahul Dravid

Understandably, what cricketers are worried about is getting in the zone again. India’s middle-order batsman Shreyas Iyer opined too that it would take time to get back in that frame of mind, the mindset of facing 140 kph bowlers once more. While Dravid agrees it as a valid point, he remains confident that world-class players won’t have that problem to get into the groove.

The retired Test batsman understands that players would feel out of game for a while; however, they won’t lose out on their skills. If utilised this time well, all should end up good when the sport resumes.

“Personally, I don’t see that (the break) as a huge problem. I don’t think that once elite sportspersons get on the field, get to do what they really love, they will have a problem. Will people lose out on skills because of lack of sports? I don’t think so, I can say this about cricket. Cricket has mainly been a seasonal sport in the past. You are going to be rusty but I don’t think you will forget your game. It shouldn’t take you too long to get back if you have utilised the time well.” the 164-Test veteran added.

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