‘He picked our brains’: Chappell says Rahul Dravid followed Australian structure to create solid pool of Indian players
Chappell also said that both India and England have overtaken Australia as the best side in recognising young talent and providing them a platform to succeed.
Former Australian batsman and Indian head coach Greg Chappel has said that Rahul Dravid has followed the Australian formula to create a strong domestic structure that has been serving as a feeder line for Team India.
Former Indian skipper Rahul Dravid has groomed a number of young talents being the head coach of India A and Under-19 teams. Currently, he is serving as the head of the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru where continues to work behind the development of players.
In a conversation with cricket.com.au, Chappell said that both India and England have overtaken Australia as the best side in recognising young talent and providing them with a platform to succeed.
“India have got their act together and that's largely because (India's academy chief and former Test captain) Rahul Dravid has picked our brains, seen what we're doing and replicated it in India and with their much larger (population) base,” Chappell told cricket.com.au.
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“I think we've already lost our position as the best at identifying talent and bringing it through. I think England are doing it better than us now and India are doing it better than us,” he added.
Chappell, one of the finest batsmen to have played the game, cautioned that talented Australian cricketers might find their careers at crossroads because of the domestic structure.
“Historically, we've been one of the best at developing young players and keeping them in the system, but I think that's changed in the last couple of years. I'm seeing a bunch of young players with great potential who are in limbo. That's unacceptable. We cannot afford to lose one player,” he said.
The former Indian head coach further opined that young batsmen will benefit from playing more first-class cricket.
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“One of the things I believe would make a big difference would be trying to play a full block of Sheffield Shield cricket so that guys get a run at red-ball cricket. Playing five Shield games and then 50-over cricket and then BBL and then finishing the end of the Shield season just breaks up that opportunity to develop long-form batting, which is a good foundation for the other formats anyway,” he said.
(With PTI Inputs)