Rahul Dravid- return of the prodigal

Some weeks ago, India’s cricket selectors decided to recall Rahul Dravid for the India- Sri Lanka- New Zealand tri-series tournament in Sri Lanka that starts next week and the subsequent  ODI Champions Trophy in South Africa. As with every team announcement, this decision too had former cricketers and selectors lined up on both sides- some rejoiced, while others bemoaned a supposed retrograde step that would hurt the policy of blooding youngsters.

Dravid is without doubt one of the most technically proficient cricketers India has produced. In my view, he still has a year or two of international cricket left in him. But two questions arise:

1. Can the team rely on just one or two players?
2. What happens once Dravid himself chooses to retire?

The first question is of more immediate immediate, if news reports related to the training & conditioning camp at Bangalore is anything to go by. In spite of not having played much cricket over the past 2 years or so, Dravid very easily got back into his groove . He showed his younger team-mates how to strike- and move out of the way- of rising deliveries (the one area that seems to be the achilles heel for the younger crop of Indian cricketers). But reportedly, the new brigade did not fare too well- even against not-so-fast bowlers on Bangalore tracks.

Sri Lanka will be fresh after their domination of New Zealand, while Vettori and his men will be keen to make amends and take something positive before they go to South Africa for the Champions Trophy.

The stage is surely set for an interesting contest.