Follow UsThe second Test featuring India and West Indies will mark a very special occasion for both sides as they face each other for the 100th time in the longest format on July 20 in Trinidad.
Ahead of the marquee event, Rahul Dravid addressed the press conference and shared his views on the journey of West Indies cricket and their recent struggles at the international level.
"I can sense, and people have spoken about the disappointments they do feel. I don't see any dearth of talent here and great ability. And I'm sure that just with the right kind of maybe emphasis on infrastructure and resources, I don't see why West Indies cricket can't go back to the glory days."
"It is fantastic to see someone like Brian Lara with the team. I know he's been getting involved in a small way, in his own way, but people like him, I'm sure, have much more knowledge and much more idea of what they can do to help resurrect the West Indies," Dravid said.
The Head Coach also heaped praises on the domestic structure of India and stated a lot of credit for young players performing at the international level should be given to NCA and the stateside.
"It's a tribute to the domestic system and to the environment around the team that a lot of young players are able to come in and perform straight away. A lot of credit should go to the domestic system for producing these kinds of players and the relaxed environment the team here has created to allow young players to come and express themselves."
"So it's nice from our perspective as a coach to see young players come in, perform straightaway and do really well, whether it's Yashasvi in the last game or the way Shubman has grown over the last six-eight months or seeing the way Ishan came in and kept in the last game on a difficult wicket, he did a really good job."
"So there's been a lot of young players, we've seen even in one-days and T20s, who've come through and done really well. So yeah, credit to our domestic system, NCA and a lot of other people who can make that possible for us."
"I know people like Jaiswal and Gill will be faced with tougher challenges as they go on and play more cricket. Teams will get to know them better. Even in this Test, we'll see the West Indies probably come up with tactics and strategies having seen Jaiswal in the last Test match, and they'll respond to that."
"The challenge for Jaiswal is to respond to the tactics and strategies West Indies are going to come up with in this game. Because today, as a young player, once you get known, once you start performing well, teams start planning and preparing for you better so you need to respond to that as well," Dravid further added.
The second Test will also be Virat Kohli's 500th international game, and the 50-year-old was pleased to see the transition of Kohli from a rookie batter to one of the mainstays in the Indian team.
"I didn't know that this is his 500th game. I am not a great one for numbers. It's fantastic; he's a real inspiration to so many players within this team without a doubt and to so many boys and girls back home in India."
"His numbers and his stats speak for themselves - it's all there in the book. For me, what's been great to see first-hand has been the effort and the work that he puts in behind the scenes when no one is watching. That is reflected in the fact that he has been able to play 500 games."
"It's nice to see his journey. When I played, he was a youngster coming through. Getting to know him personally as well over the last 18 months it's been good fun. I've really enjoyed it, and I hope he has as well. I've learnt a lot from him," he concluded.