Rahul Dravid calls for ‘right preparation’ for visiting teams

Rahul Dravid, India’s head coach, has urged cricket boards to pay attention towards due preparation for teams traveling for a Test series. Speaking ahead of India’s opening Test against England in Hyderabad, Dravid chose to speak about the quality of opposition that teams get to face while touring nowadays.

“One of the things that’s been a challenge actually, to be very honest, is to get the right preparation for Test teams. Something I have felt as well. Just at times the quality of the sides you get to play in places. It’s not like the old days when I first started; you went to county cricket, professionals would be playing against you, the best players would be playing against you. That’s changed a lot,” opined Dravid.

India’s overseas tours in recent times have seen them field members of their own side as opposition to get a higher quality than provided by the host nation. Dravid added that he along with chief selector Ajit Agarkar are doing their bit, having taken up the initiative to provide better quality opposition to touring teams, with the recent England Lions game against India A as an example.

In other important news pertaining to the keenly awaited series, Rajat Patidar has been added to the India squad for the first two Tests against England. The 30-year-old Madhya Pradesh batter’s call-up comes in the wake of Virat Kohli making himself unavailable for the first two Tests owing to personal reasons.