‘You’ve got to give him a fair opportunity’ – Graeme Smith comes in support of Rahul Dravid following WTC heartbreak

Rahul Dravid. (Photo Source: Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via Getty Images)

ICC Champions Trophy 2013 was the last time team India clinched an ICC title. Following their legendary win against England in Birmingham in 2013, India have struggled to make their mark in major tournaments. After a 10-year hiatus, the side will have their sights set on the upcoming ODI World Cup that they will be hosting in the latter stages of 2023.

One of the biggest discussions could also be whether head coach Rahul Dravid will receive a contract extension if the Indian team fails to bring the World Cup home. Recently, led by Rohit Sharma, the side managed to make their way into their second consecutive World Test Championship final, where they suffered a thumping 209-run defeat against Australia.

Ever since replacing Ravi Shastri as head coach, Dravid has led the Indian team to the semi-final of the 2022 T20 World Cup and to the WTC final as well. Reflecting upon the same, former South African batter Graeme Smith came forward to give his take on Dravid’s stint as coach so far.

Dravid is a quality man and a quality performer: Smith

Smith opined that the Indian team should give the 50-year-old a fair opportunity to prove himself and rebuild the team. He also opined that Dravid’s job is one of the hardest jobs in the world, and coming up with the best team composition for India is tough as the side has quality players in every role.

“When you get involved in a leadership role in Indian cricket, the expectation is something that you are going to have to come to terms with. There’s a huge quality of players. India can put two or three teams together. The biggest challenge in India for a leader is balancing those squads, balancing your tour schedules, the different formats, and those are some of the biggest decisions that are coming ahead of Rahul and his selection team,” Graeme Smith told The Times of India.

“What do those squads look like, how do they move those teams forward. He’s a quality man and a quality performer. He’s shown it right through as a coach. So, you’ve got to give him a fair opportunity now to kind of rebuild India,” he added.