Rahul Dravid

In the pre-series press conference, Dravid expressed enthusiasm about the challenge, stating, "It’s an exciting challenge and it’s an opportunity for him to certainly do something different.

Dravid, aware of the challenges presented by South African pitches, emphasized the need for batters to devise a game plan for responsible batting. He acknowledged that these pitches, especially in Centurion and Johannesburg, tend to be difficult to bat on, with varying bounce and movement.

Rahul Dravid took over as the head coach in 2021, succeeding Ravi Shastri, and his initial two-year term concluded with the recent ODI World Cup. The support staff, comprising Vikram Rathour (batting coach), Paras Mhambrey (bowling coach), and T Dilip (fielding coach), also had their contracts extended.

The frontrunner to succeed Dravid in the coaching role is VVS Laxman, the current head of the National Cricket Academy. Laxman has been filling in for Dravid in his absence and might assume the coaching responsibilities permanently after the India vs Australia T20I series

Under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, the Indian side has maintained an unbeaten run in the league stage, setting the stage for a challenging semi-final clash against New Zealand in the World Cup 2023.

Dravid emphasized that Rohit has not only been fantastic in terms of performance but has also set a commendable example with his conduct both on and off the cricket ground.

While some suggest resting key players to give others on the bench an opportunity, Dravid did not commit to such plans.

Rahul has taken five catches in the tournament so far, with his catch of Mehidy Hasan Miraz, made with an outstretched left hand, being the highlight in Pune. With the bat, Rahul was instrumental in rescuing India from 2-3 against Australia at Chennai with an unbeaten 97 and sharing a match-winning 165-run partnership off 215 balls with Virat Kohli.