“Hardik Pandya has that spark, but he needs that support and Rahul Dravid does not provide that”: Parthiv Patel.

The Indian cricket team and its support staff have come under widespread criticism following West Indies’ acquisition of a 2-0 lead in the five-match T20I series. The West Indies squad, led by Rovman Powell, secured victory in the first T20I by a margin of four runs, and then solidified their lead with a two-wicket triumph in the second match held in Guyana. As a result, they find themselves on the cusp of a remarkable T20I series victory.

Addressing India’s defeat in the second T20I, Parthiv Patel expressed his perspective, asserting that Hardik Pandya exhibits the potential to be an effective captain. However, Patel emphasized that Pandya requires substantial support not only from his teammates but also from the head coach. Patel drew attention to the nurturing environment provided by Ashish Nehra, the coach of the Gujarat Titans, where Pandya thrives under his guidance.

In contrast, Patel raised concerns about India’s head coach, Rahul Dravid. He expressed his observation that Dravid’s approach as a coach has been less proactive, which has consequently hindered his ability to provide the necessary assistance to Hardik Pandya.

Parthiv Patel on Cricbuzz said “Hardik Pandya has been brilliant as a captain for GT, but over there he had support from Ashish Nehra as well. Is Rahul Dravid the proactive person or coach, which we are looking for in the T20 format? In my opinion, I don’t think so. We need someone who is proactive, Hardik Pandya has that spark, but he needs that support and Rahul Dravid does not provide that for him,”