Rahul Dravid optimistic as key players gain match fitness ahead of ODI World Cup | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: India’s cricket coach, Rahul Dravid, expressed his relief and optimism as key players, including Jasprit Bumrah, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer, made strides in their recoveries and gained valuable match fitness ahead of the impending ODI World Cup.
Addressing the performances of these pivotal players, Dravid said, “For all those guys, game-time was important.The fact that they have been able to get that is I think something that we are much better off for it.”
Jasprit Bumrah, who had been sidelined due to a persistent back issue, showcased his return to form by bowling his full quota of overs in the matches against Australia. Dravid noted, “Jassi has been able to play a couple of games and bowl his quota of 10 overs.”Shreyas Iyer, expected to anchor the batting lineup at number four, impressed with a century in Indore and a significant contribution of 48 runs in Rajkot.
KL Rahul’s versatile contribution did not go unnoticed as he both batted impressively, scoring two half-centuries, and donned the wicketkeeping gloves, quelling concerns surrounding his fitness.
The inclusion of off-spinner R Ashwin in the squad for the Australia series had ignited speculation regarding his potential participation in the final World Cup squad. Dravid, however, remained non-committal, stating, “We have to wait for an official confirmation or a decision on that.”

Dravid also mentioned the impending deadline for finalizing the World Cup squads, indicating that they were in contact with the selectors but refrained from making any official statements. As of now, there have been no changes to the squad.
Looking ahead, Dravid anticipates India’s full-strength squad to congregate in Guwahati before the first warm-up match against England on September 30, taking into account the recovery of players who had been battling illnesses and injuries.
Commenting on the loss in the Rajkot ODI, Dravid attributed it to a lapse in the bowling department in the initial half of the Australian innings, stating, “In the overall scheme of things probably 350 was 30 (runs) too many.”
Despite the loss, Dravid took solace in the performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who added 70 runs in their partnership. He highlighted their return to form, saying, “A good thing from our perspective is that both of them batted really well — that is a positive.”

(With inputs from PTI)