CricketNews

Rahul Dravid becomes first Indian cricketer to win in South Africa as captain and coach

Rahul Dravid was the first ever captain to lead India to a test match win on South African soil

Rahul Dravid has become the first ever Indian cricketer to win test matches in South Africa both as captain and coach. It was under Dravid’s captaincy that India had won their first ever test match in South Africa in 2006 and he was on the winning side once again in Centurion, which was his very first test match in South Africa as head coach.

Dravid, however, can’t be given too much of credit for the Centurion test match victory that India secured, simply because he has only carried forward the work of the previous coaching staff, which had already built a very strong test squad and had won test matches in Australia and England.

One major decision that Dravid took as head coach for Centurion test match was that he backed Ajinkya Rahane to bat at no. 5, at the expense of Shreyas Iyer who was supposed to play in the game on the back of his debut test hundred against New Zealand.

Advertisement

Decision of Rahul Dravid to play Ajinkya Rahane worked in India’s favor

Dravid’s decision worked for India, as Ajinkya Rahane scored 48 in the first innings in tough conditions and got India to a score which was well above par on a surface which had quickened up signficantly after the first day. Rahane, thereafter, played another quickfire cameo in the second innings, when India were looking to accelerate and declare the innings on the fourth day.

India’s team combination of playing with 5 specialist batsmen and 5 specialist bowlers remained the same that the previous coaching staff had put in place as India went into the Centurion test with 4 pacers and a specialist spinner in Ravichandran Ashwin who also batted at no. 7.

However, it remains to be seen what kind of combination India opts for, as they go into the second test match at Wanderers, which will be a much quicker surface than the Supersport Park, Centurion which was slow on the first day and quickened up later.

Advertisement

Abhishek

I write a bit on cricket and I am more interested in technical and tactical side of the game, rather than bravado.

Related Articles

Back to top button