Rahul Dravid on Spirit of Cricket row: ‘You can’t blame somebody for following rules’

NEW DELHI: The unprecedented timed-out dismissal of Angelo Mathews in a World Cup match against Bangladesh has reignited the debate over the ‘Spirit of Cricket.’ India’s head coach Rahul Dravid asserted on Saturday that a player should be permitted to strictly adhere to the rules of the game if they choose to do so.
The controversy unfolded when Mathews was declared timed out following an appeal by Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan.This occurred after the Sri Lankan batter couldn’t ready himself in time to face his first ball, entering the crease after the dismissal ofSadeera Samarawickrama.
“Everyone thinks differently. We are all unique creatures and we have our own minds and thoughts. There is no real right and wrong. It’s fine to have those differences,” said Dravid.
“When someone wants to take the letter of the rule to the last Nth degree, I don’t think you can complain about it because, honestly, he’s just following the rules as he sees it. You might not do it yourself. But you can’t blame somebody for following it.”
Shifting his focus to India’s upcoming final league match against the Netherlands in Bengaluru on Sunday, Dravid emphasised the importance of concentrating solely on the game.
He stressed the need to avoid concerns about factors like the playing 11 and conditions, urging the team to stay focused on the task at hand.

“We’ve had six days off from the last game. So, the guys are in good shape. At this stage, it’s about focusing on getting the guys who you think are going to be playing in the 11 in the best possible space mentally and physically to be able to play that semifinal and hopefully the final – if we earn it.
“There are times for larger picture thinking and there are times for narrow focus thinking. In my opinion, now’s the time for the narrow focus thinking,” he added.
Dravid was not ready to take the Netherlands lightly and lauded them for putting up a spirited show in the tournament.
“We’re very impressed with the way they have played in this tournament, the effort that they’ve gone through to be able to qualify. I certainly know how difficult it is for Associate teams to be able to reach this level and play, having spent some time in Scotland myself in the early part of the 2000.
“It’s quite inspiring to see that in spite of the challenges they face they’re able to compete at this level. I know they’ll be well prepared, a well-coached cricket team. We’re looking forward to playing them,” Dravid signed off.
(With PTI Inputs)