Legendary India batter Rahul Dravid continues to be connected with the sport as the owner of Dublin Guardians in the European T20 Premier League. The team, led by Ravichandran Ashwinis fifth in the points table with just two points from seven games, with one win and six losses.
Vikram Rathour, who worked as a batting coach when Dravid was the head coach of the national team from 2021 to 2024, praised the 53-year-old. “He is behaving like an owner. He doesn’t get involved much, but it has been good. It is great to have someone like him on the other side, because he has also been a coach.”
He also added, “Rahul understands how the team performs and the results as well. He has been supportive in the first half of the tournament, where we didn’t win anything, but he was supportive, and you expect it from someone like Rahul anyway.”
Speaking about skipper Ashwin, the team coach said: “He has good knowledge of the game. I call him a cricket fanatic because he watches the sport so much, and has good knowledge about the players from across the world, which is phenomenal.”
Dublin Guardians continue to falter
Having lost the first five games, Guardians took on Belfast Wolves in the Irish Derby on Thursday. The 36-year-old Craig Young was named the Player of the Match for his figures of 5 for 21, which played a key role in Belfast getting bowled out for a mere 107 runs.
Harry Manenti was the best batter with 24 runs, while Paul Stirling managed 22 runs from 18 balls. Mark Adair (15) and Mark Chapman (10) reached the double figures.
Dublin achieved their first win of the season with eight wickets in hand and 33 balls left to play. David Willey led the batting charts with 36-ball 44, while New Zealand veteran Daryl Mitchell was not out on 35 off 25 balls with four boundaries and a six.
However, the Guardians lost to Edinburgh Castle Rockers in their seventh game of the season.