“I think we are very satisfied and happy” – Rahul Dravid on Team India’s preparation ahead of England Test

June 28, 2022

Team India head coach Rahul Dravid believes that the four-day warm-up match against Leicestershire was helpful in terms of preparation. The visitors are scheduled to play against England in the postponed Test from 2021 from July 1 onwards at Edgbaston, Birmingham.

The contest between India and the county side ended in a draw with the likes of Virat Kohli. Rishabh Pant and KS Bharat being the standout performers. Rishabh Pant, along with Cheteshwar Pujara and Jasprit Bumrah represented Leicestershire to ensure maximum match practice.

Team India have been dealt with a huge blow ahead of the Test match. Captain Rohit Sharma tested positive for COVID-19 and the management are still unsure of his participation. Opening batter Mayank Agarwal was flown in as cover earlier today.

Speaking about Team India’s preparation ahead of their highly-anticipated match against the Ben Stokes-led side, Dravid said in a video posted by the Leicestershire Foxes Twitter account:

“I think whatever we needed to achieve and whatever boxes we needed to tick in terms of our preparation leading into the Test match on Friday, I think we are very satisfied and happy, we have been able to do that this week,”

The head coach added:

“When you have got just one game or one-off game in a series, its not really a lot of time, you’ve got to hit the ground running hard and you’ve got to be able to hopefully get your act together right from the first day of the Test match.”

Dravid acknowledged that the warm-up contest was challenging, especially in the first two days. The Indian batting unit were put to test and endured a massive setback after being reduced to 81-5 at one stage.

The Indian team received a warm welcome at Leicester as they used the facilities to prepare for the English challenge. The contingent were also given a thorough reception over the course of the warm-up contest.

Heaping praise on the county side’s facilities and reception, Dravid said:

“I thought you know everyone’s really looked after us really well. It’s been great crowds you know, it’s really lovely to see so many people come to watch the game like this and just the atmosphere and the vibe have been excellent,”

Should Rohit Sharma fail to recover in time, Jasprit Bumrah has been touted to take over the captaincy. The England side, under the new regime of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum, are on a roll at the moment. The Three Lions defeated New Zealand 3-0 following a series of eye-boggling wins.