MSK Prasad credits Rahul Dravid for shaping up India A dominance

Team India recently completed a thumping whitewash over Sri Lanka in the 3-match Test series. The entire team and the members associated with it have been reveling in the success. However, if the chairman of selectors, MSK Prasad, is to be believed, then the victories of the India A side gives him more pleasure than the wins of the Indian team. In a recent interaction, he spoke at length about the India A team and how it has been the breeding ground for the national cricketers.

As per the quotes in Wisden India, MSK Prasad remarked that the credit for the immense success of the India A team goes to their coach Rahul Dravid. India A recently won the triangular series in South Africa. MSK Prasad cited that the job of the head coach of the national side is a lucrative job but the same role in an A team might not be as attractive. Despite the odds, Dravid took up the role and has taken the team to new heights. He added that Dravid is a phenomenal person to have in the nets who gives his 100 per cent every time.

“Rahul is 100% responsible for boys coming in from the India A team. We pick the best possible team but it is being nurtured very well by Rahul. India is very blessed to have Rahul Dravid at the ‘A’ level. He is giving finished products to the senior team. Any player who is coming here is straightaway getting into the mould and is able to adjust. The whole credit goes to the BCCI for having appointed Rahul Dravid, and also to Rahul Dravid for having accepted it. It is always lucrative and glamorous to be a senior India coach, but accepting the ‘A’ coaching assignment,” quoted MSK Prasad.

“For such a legendary cricketer to be working with junior cricketers, our players are blessed to have such a wonderful person. I was fortunate to be with Rahul last year. The amount of time he spends on each player is not like any other net session. Matches will be going on there, he will give a scenario — this is what it has to be, he writes a table — and takes each boy to the nets. Throughout the day, he will be giving throw-downs. He is a wonderful person to have at the ‘A’ level,” remarked the chairman of selectors.

India A gives the real delight

Speaking further on the same lines, he pointed out that the national side is often expected to do well. However, the same might not be the case with the A team since there is the uncertainty factor. Hence, the wins of the A team gives more pleasure to the selectors than the team India wins.

He cited the example of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya to elucidate his point. He conceded that the two players escalated to the main team via the A side. He feels great to see the excel at the top level now in a span of a year. The India A team is undoubtedly the breeding ground for the Indian team cricketers.

“Those are the happiest moments for this selection committee because for the Indian team, there will be hardly two or three changes, if at all. Our real stuff comes out while picking the India A teams. We picked the team to Australia, they won the triangular series there,” said Prasad.

“We picked an ‘A’ team for South Africa, they won the triangular series some days ago. That gives you more satisfaction because at the end of the day, those are the guys who will come to the national side. When they start doing well — and I am talking from a personal point of view — when we put Bumrah and Hardik Pandya in the senior side, our joy has no limit when we see in a year’s time the way they have shaped up,” he conceded further.