Asia Cup 2023: Rahul Dravid dismisses lack of middle order clarity, says injuries disrupted plans

Dravid stated that K.L. Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer were the chosen ones for the number four and five spots - options set in stone 18 months ago.

India Head Coach Rahul Dravid dismissed suggestions that there is no clarity on the middle-order spots in the playing eleven.

Dravid stated that K.L. Rahul, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer were the chosen ones for the number four and five spots - options set in stone 18 months ago.

“The number four and five spots seem to get discussed a lot. It gives the impression that we don’t have clarity on who will be there. But I could have told you 18 or 19 months ago who were the three candidates we were looking it. It was always going to be between Rahul, Rishabh and Shreyas for these spots.

“It is unfortunate that all three of them ended up with injuries in the space of two months. What are the odds of that happening?,” Dravid said on the last day of the India camp at Alur grounds here on Tuesday.

“When injuries happen, we try and rotate a few players. At least two (Rahul and Shreyas) of the three players have recovered and are available for us. It’s now about giving the players enough game time (before the World Cup),” Dravid said.

The former India captain was pleased to see Jasprit Bumrah back in action. The pace spearhead made his comeback from injury on the short tour to Ireland earlier this month, where he played two T20Is. Prasidh Krishna is the other fast bowler who has returned from injury.

“It is great to have them (Bumrah and Prasidh) back. We have missed Jasprit a lot over the last two years. We will ease him into it. It was good to get them bowling four over spells on the tour to Ireland. We now have the chance to build on it in the Asia Cup. We have a full month to build it up before the World Cup.

“It gives us more options in the pace department. In a long tournament like the World Cup, even if people don’t make it to the final 15-member squad, you want a couple of quality guys out there who are fit and can replace a player in case something happens,” Dravid said.

The Indian team will travel to Sri Lanka on Wednesday and will open its Asia Cup campaign against Pakistan at Kandy on Saturday.