Ravi Shastri, who opposes Rahul Dravid getting a vacation, claims that playing in the IPL for two to three months is enough.

When Rahul Dravid was replaced by VVS Laxman as acting head coach for Team India’s six-match series in New Zealand, Ravi Shastri questioned the decision to give the coaching staff frequent vacations. Laxman oversaw operations when India toured Ireland and Zimbabwe earlier this year when the Dravid-led department was gone. Since the senior squad was in England getting ready for the ODI and T20I series, Dravid and company had to forgo the Ireland tour. Dravid, though, was not there for India’s triumphs against South Africa and Zimbabwe in August.

Dravid’s frequent absences are opposed by Shastri, who coached the whole time regardless of which team played since he believes they might damage the relationship between the player and coach. Shastri decided against taking on another term as India’s head coach because it required him to travel constantly, something he claimed he couldn’t do given the toll holding the position for seven years had taken on him. Shastri believes that even if regulating the workload of the players has rightfully taken precedence, the coaching setup cannot be set up in the same manner.

Shastri said, “I do not believe it breaks,” on the eve of the first T20I match between India and New Zealand in Wellington. “I want to be in charge of that team, therefore I need to comprehend my group, my players, and the motivations behind their participation. Honest to God, why do you need so many breaks? During the IPL, you get two to three months to unwind as a coach. On other occasions, though, I think that every coach should be involved.”

Vikram Rathour and Paras Mhambrey will be replaced as the team’s batting and bowling coaches, respectively, by Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Sairaj Bahutule. Rathour and Mhambrey will go back to coaching when India leaves for Bangladesh for an ODI and Test series that starts on December 4.

Shastri concurred with Laxman’s major point, however, that India’s T20 future will be more dominated by the current crop of young players. Laxman made this point during the pre-game press conference. After India’s abrupt exit from the T20 World Cup, the T20 future of players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and the more seasoned stars is uncertain. By the time of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Kohli and Rohit will be 37 and 36 years old, respectively, so it is very likely that they will cede leadership to the younger group of players.