Team India head coach Rahul Dravid’s tenure has started with a T20I series sweep against New Zealand but a tough challenge is waiting in South Africa, believes former India cricketer Reetinder Singh Sodhi. The Virat Kohli-led Team India will play against South Africa in a three-match Test series beginning December 26 (Boxing Day) and they will try to win the series there.
India have never won a Test series in South Africa. As Dravid gears up for his next big assignment, the former player believes he will be “addressing” any strife between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as the latter has been appointed the limited-overs captain, replacing Kohli. His comments came after the probable rift between them, although Kohli has quashed all these rumours.
“He has a bigger challenge because of the recent controversies that have happened, to uplift the team after that. It is an acid test for Rahul Dravid. If we talk about Rohit and Virat, to make them stand together and get the partnership back, if there is a difference of opinion between them, so Rahul will be addressing that first,” Sodhi said in a discussion on India News.
Sodhi continued:
“And this tour which will be in different conditions, how our batters excel in South Africa. South Africa have a good bowling lineup and Rahul Dravid will have to work a lot there.”
A big test for Team India and a very big Test for Rahul Dravid – Reetinder Singh Sodhi
Meanwhile, the Indian team has already started their session where they did a bit of jogging and stretching before hitting the nets. Kohli was also seen taking batting tips from Rahul Dravid in a video shared by the BCCI on their social media accounts.
“We have done well in the home series but now is the acid test. If Rahul can get his team to do well here, the great respect he has in the entire world as a player, it will grow a lot as a coach also. So yes, a big test for Team India and a very big Test for Rahul Dravid,” Sodhi further said.
“The sort of team we have and the way Rahul Dravid encourages them, the way he is balanced, I feel India will definitely hand a big defeat to South Africa in their own backyard,” he concluded.
Get the latest cricket news here and like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.