Ashwin explains why Rahul Dravid, India support staff were given break during NZ tour

The
current
head
of
National
Cricket
Academy
(NCA)
and
former
India
batter
VVS
Laxman
is
the
head
coach
of
the
Indian
squad
led
by
all-rounder
Hardik
Pandya
that
does
not
feature
seniors
like
regular
captain
Rohit
Sharma,
Virat
Kohli,
KL
Rahul,
Mohammed
Shami
and
Ashwin
himself.

“I
will
explain
why
Laxman
has
gone
there
with
a
completely
different
team
because
even
that
could
be
interpreted
differently,”
Ashwin
said
in
his
YouTube
channel.

“Rahul
Dravid
and
his
team
put
in
extensive
hard
work
ahead
of
the
T20
World
Cup
–
right
from
planning.
Since
I
saw
this
from
close
quarters,
I
am
saying
this.
They
had
specific
in-depth
plans
for
each
venue
and
each
opposition.

“So
they
would
have
been
under
not
only
mental
but
also
physical
burnout,
and
everyone
needed
a
break.
As
soon
as
the
New
Zealand
series
ends,
we
have
the
Bangladesh
tour.
That
is
why
we
have
a
different
coaching
staff
led
by
Laxman
for
this
tour,”
he
added.

India
was
a
semifinalist
in
the
recently-concluded
ICC
T20
World
Cup
in
Australia
and
went
down
to
champions
England
in
the
second
SF.
They
ended
the
campaign
with
four
wins
and
two
losses.

Ashwin’s
comments
come
after
former
India
head
coach
and
Dravid’s
predecessor
Ravi
Shastri
had
questioned
the
need
for
rest
for
the
head
coach
when
they
get
it
during
“two-three
months”
of
the
Indian
Premier
League
(IPL).

“I
do
not
believe
in
breaks,”
Shastri
had
said
during
a
press
interaction
ahead
of
the
first
T20I
between
India
and
New
Zealand
in
Wellington.

“Because
I
want
to
understand
my
team,
I
want
to
understand
my
players
and
I
want
to
then
be
in
control
of
that
team.

“These
breaks…
what
do
you
need
that
many
breaks
for
to
be
honest?.
You
get
your
two-three
months
of
the
IPL;
that
is
enough
for
you
to
rest
as
a
coach.
But
other
times,
I
think
a
coach
should
be
hands
on
–
whoever
he
is,”
Shastri
had
said.

Dravid
was
rested
during
tour
of
Zimbabwe
as
well
earlier
this
year.

Before
that,
he
and
other
senior
players
were
part
of
the
separate
camp
that
went
to
England
for
playing
the
rescheduled
fifth
and
final
Test
against
England
while
Laxman
along
with
a
second-string
squad
went
for
two-match
T20I
series
in
Ireland.

In
October,
when
India’s
T20
World
Cup
was
preparing
in
Australia,
a
set
of
different
players
featured
in
the
ODI
series
against
South
Africa.
On
all
occasions,
Laxman
had
filled
in
for
Dravid
as
coach.