Rahul Dravid Dublin Guardians
Rahul Dravid has entered a new phase of his cricket career as the owner of Dublin Guardians in the European T20 Premier League (ETPL). But unlike his years as a player and coach, the former India captain has deliberately kept his distance from day-to-day cricketing decisions. Dublin head coach Vikram Rathour says Dravid has been highly supportive despite the franchise going winless in its first five games.
Dublin Guardians endured a difficult start to the inaugural ETPL campaign, failing to win any of their first five matches.
Despite the poor run, Dravid did not put additional pressure on the coaching staff or players. Rathour said Dravid’s own experience as a player and coach gives him a clear understanding of how results can fluctuate during a tournament.
Rathour described Dravid as behaving like a genuine owner rather than someone trying to run the cricketing side of the franchise.
According to the coach, Dravid has not been heavily involved in team selection, opposition strategy or other on-field decisions. Instead, he has focused on providing support while allowing the cricketing staff to manage the team.
Ravichandran Ashwin, the team’s captain and mentor, has taken charge of much of the cricketing operation.
Rathour highlighted Ashwin’s extensive knowledge of international players and playing conditions. He said Ashwin’s understanding of the game has been particularly valuable to the coaching group.
Dravid had already made his approach clear when he became the franchise owner. He said he did not intend to be involved in the team’s day-to-day cricketing operations and wanted Ashwin and the appointed experts to run the cricketing side.
His own priority, he said, would be building the franchise and handling its off-field responsibilities.
That philosophy appears to be playing out in practice, with Dravid allowing Ashwin and the coaching team considerable freedom over cricketing matters.
The ETPL is designed to expand cricket’s footprint in Europe, with franchises based in Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rotterdam and Amsterdam. The league also aims to create pathways for emerging European and Associate Nation players.
Dravid has previously said that the opportunity to help grow cricket in Europe and create pathways for young talent was one of the main reasons he became involved with the Dublin franchise.
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