Dravid takes a shot at Viru - or is it Laxman?

[Gambit]

NAPIER: Rahul Dravid, for all his expressiveness and understanding of Team India’s needs, rarely speaks about the failings within the side or the mistakes of his co-players during a game. Sunday was an exception, though. After doing his bit to help India towards safety in the second Test here, he surprisingly seemed to take an indirect shot at stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag, though it could also be possibly interpreted as a swipe at VVS Laxman. ‘‘I don’t know the meaning of playing your natural game all the time,’’ he said at the press conference after close of play on Day 4. ‘‘You have to play according to the situation of the game. That’s what the great players have done over the years,’’ he added, showing traces of irritability. Sehwag, the captain in MS Dhoni’s absence, threw his wicket away in the two innings, going for expansive shots, both times while close of play was at hand. He, of course, didn’t say that he was simply playing his natural game (at least not, now), or that he could only play that way. Rahul Dravid’s veiled criticism of Sehwag’s flamboyant ways came a day after VVS Laxman, after scoring a fine 76, defended players who were dismissed going for expansive strokes. ‘‘It’s not that we play irresponsible shots,’’ he argued. ‘‘They bowled to a very disciplined line and length. We all played our natural games and, sometimes, while doing so you can get out. You have to give credit to the bowlers.’’ However, the seeming reference to Laxman’s words is probably just a coincidence. Dravid appeared to be actually referring to Sehwag’s irresponsible shots, or at least to players who don’t play Test cricket differently. ‘‘They (the great players) read situations and play according to them. They play wickets, they play conditions. That’s the way the players I have admired and watched over the years have played,’’ he said. ‘‘There cannot be only one way of playing the game. You’ve got to play differently, according to the situation. The good ones adapt,’’ he said. Dravid also felt that even though New Zealand batted very well, India themselves had allowed them to escape to 619. ‘‘We had them down at 22 for 3. We got some chances and half chances after that but couldn’t take them. We made some critical mistakes on the field and didn’t keep the intensity up while bowling,’’ he said. Sehwag, again, has to take some of the blame for this as the captain. It was a good track, no doubt, and the ground was small but letting them score 350 in a day was criminal. Dravid, however, was full of praise for Gautam Gambhir. ‘‘Hats off to him. He really batted brilliantly today. He stuck it out and made sure that he was there till the end of the day. He showed a lot of character and temperament and this day will take him a long way in his Test career. ‘‘It will teach him he can read a situation and play differently too,’’ he added. New Zealand were, however, hoping that things will turn their way on the fifth and final day. ‘‘It was a tough day for us. A great day for batting, with brilliant sunshine and an eased-up pitch. But they stuck to the task very well,’’ said coach Andy Moles. ‘‘But we also stuck to our task very well. Showed lot of discipline, didn’t drop any catches, fielded very well too. We showed the right intensity and bowled in the right areas too. We will push for a win tomorrow that we deserve so much,’’ he added. ‘‘It’s a question of two good catches or a good spell,’’ he said. ‘‘They have a bit of a tail as we had seen in the first innings. They have an amazing first five-six but once we get there we can hope to get quick wickets.’’

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[flamy]

what the..

[suraj]

Definitely @ Viru and RD deserves to make all the comments after his contributions to Team India

[Anakin]

He's right. That's a BS excuse really. You can get out playing a normal shot too, but mindless slogging is just inexcusable.

[Holysmoke]

:wall:

[cowboysfan]

it doesnt apply to sehwag-it's what makes who he is.

[Sachinism]

Sometimes it needs to be said Its true, its good to play your natural game, because you are comfortable with it, but sometimes you need to play to the situation But I guess thats something Veeru doesn't understand, he doesn't even go through nervous 90's :cantstop: I'm sure the batsmen realise their mistakes then its ok, hopefully they have learnt

[fineleg]

Dravid is right. Viru was highly irresponsible in 2nd Innings, and hopefully he will not do this wild slog in other matches when the situation demands a bit more caution. Viru is a great Test player, and he will improve even more if he learns from this.

[Holysmoke]

but why say it at a press conference?

[suraj]

I am glad that as a senior member RD has spoken up Viru will always be dear to our hearts and has been a test destroyer in recent times but RD's comments are on the mark- our Viru is great and does not need to show "Afridi brain farts"; lets leave those idiocities to Pakistan not Team India Respect for Team India and hoping for many more triple centuries from VS:two_thumbs_up:

[DomainK]

Thats why Jhon Write slapped Viru (to good effect). We can ask Bhajji to keep doing the needful.:D But holy is right. Why in a press conference?

[suraj]

but why say it at a press conference?

holy maybe he tried to tell it to Viru in private and Viru said " I am like that wonly"

[suraj]

Thats why Jhon Write slapped Viru (to good effect). We can ask Bhajji to keep doing the needful.:D But holy is right. Why in a press conference?

http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showpost.php?p=627500&postcount=12

[Guest Hiten.]

I am sure Veeru's shot was the worse one given the situation we were in but mind you he is the man who has been saving our **** for quite a while in the past year or so. Be it Adelaide, Chennai or Galle. If Afridi says its his natural game and gets out for a low score, he is deemed to be ridiculed/criticized but when Sehwag says this he bloody means business. His innings in Chennai, I can bet every single penny no Indian can be able to emulate this sort of Innings when the team is facing a daunting score of 600+. Heck, if not for him we might have bundled out for cheap runs. Spare some thoughts for veeru's performances in yesteryears before going after him. This is not the first time he has played such shot and this definitely won't be his last one. I can assure you that :winky:

[Holysmoke]

holy maybe he tried to tell it to Viru in private and Viru said " I am like that wonly"

And maybe he is. That is for the captain, the coach, and the senior players to tackle, but within the team. Publicly humiliating another player never helps.

[satishg]

well i don know wat to say..he is a wonderful talent but there is some madness associated with the way the man plays..and the madness has got him to this level with an avg of 50 in international test cricket..as long as he is able to keep that avg and score 200s & 300s i wont mind because that is the way he plays..

[Guest Hiten.]

Irony is, RD issued this statement who has been a mere passenger when Veeru was going all guns blazing.

[graphic23]

Why are we assuming that this was intended at anybody? It could've just been a question, and he's let people know how he wants to play. Dravid has praised Sehwag to levels no one has ever done before. You guys are over reacting.

[suraj]

And maybe he is. That is for the captain' date=' the coach, and the senior players to tackle, but within the team. Publicly humiliating another player never helps.[/quote'] Well I think it is already decided in the team- Viru will not be messed with because his exploits help us do things sometimes that could never have been imagined before Methinks RD is just venting out some frustration but the term "Public humiliation" is too strong; Indian junta adores Veeru's style and contributions anyway RD has a right to go "bad boy" atleast once in his long career :winky:

[Deleted_User_1]

I think the press is making too much out of nothing. There is no proof that Dravid said this in retaliation. He was probably asked by a memb er of the stupid press about playing one's natural game.