IND vs SA T20Is: Dravid pleased to have Pandya back; lauds success of Indian captains in IPL

Applauding the success of Indian players as captains in a tournament like the Indian Premier League (IPL), Team India head coach Rahul Dravid stated that it would eventually benefit the national team since the leadership role helps accelerate the growth of cricketers.

Hardik Pandya led Gujarat Titans to the title in its maiden season. At the same time, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Sanju Samson did a commendable job while leading their respective franchises in the T20 tournament.

Rahul led new entrants Lucknow Super Giants to the playoffs in their maiden season, and Samson impressed with his captaincy as he took Rajasthan Royals to a runners-up finish this season.

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"It is great that we have a lot of Indian captains doing well. Hardik was one of them. Brilliant. KL did a good job at LSG and Sanju in RR. Shreyas in KKR," Dravid said at a press conference. 

"It is really great to see the young batters leading the team. It helps people grow and develop as players, having to lead teams to make the decisions. It helps you grow as a person and as a player. It is great from our perspective that the younger Indian players are leading well in the IPL," he added. 

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India is set to lock horns with South Africa in a five-match T20 series starting in New Delhi on Thursday. Several new faces have been named in the Indian squad, while the series is also set to feature Pandya and Dinesh Karthik, who make a comeback after stellar IPL campaigns.

Pandya, who struggled with a back and was dropped after the team's disappointing group-round exit from the T20 World Cup last year, returned to competitive cricket in the IPL. He played a key role in the Titans' success, contributing with the bat and the ball, which the Indian team had missed desperately during the World Cup last year. 

"It is really pleasing to have him back. Hardik at his best is a fantastic cricketer with both bat and ball. He's been very successful in white-ball cricket and has shown some really good form in this IPL as well," Dravid said. 

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The former Indian cricketer was impressed by the Baroda player's captaincy skills, adding that they are working at utilising Pandya's full potential for India. 

"His leadership was very impressive in the IPL, and he performed well. You don't have to be designated as a leader to be part of the leadership group. From our perspective, it is positive that he has started bowling again at this point in time. It is really about ensuring that we can get the best out of him as a cricketer in terms of contributions," Dravid concluded.

(With inputs from PTI)

• Cricket
• India vs South Africa
• Hardik Pandya
• Rahul Dravid
• IPL 2022
• Gujarat Titans