New Delhi: Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid said that dealing with the spot-fixing allegations surrounding his team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been one of the toughest phases of his illustrious career.
Dravid yesterday praised his team for leaving the controversy behind and reaching the IPL playoffs.
The 40-year-old spoke his heart out after they beat Sunrisers Hyderabad here to reach Qualifier 2. They now take on Mumbai Indians in Kolkata today for a spot in the final.
“The win is important irrespective of whatever has happened off the field. It is a knock-out phase and if you don’t play well, you pack your bags and go home,” Dravid said at the Ferozeshah Kotla when asked about the significance of the win in the wake of the spot fixing episode.
Last week three Royals players S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested for spot fixing. The Royals arrived in Delhi a night before the Eliminator, choosing to spend more time in Jaipur to avoid attention.
“I won’t lie. It (spot fixing issue) was very tough on the team. It is something I have never experienced in my life. It was like a bereavement. There were so many emotions of disappointment, anger and sadness. The two days in Jaipur before this game were fantastic. We were in Hyderabad right after the incident and the boys were left in a daze,” said the former India captain.
“We got that time we needed in Jaipur. There were some open and honest conversations amongst the players and the coaching staff. It was amazing for me to see the way cricketers came out and expressed their feelings. Paddy Upton (coach) and staff slowly planned this campaign to let the emotions go. I can’t thank the support staff enough for their effort.”
He hinted at retiring from the IPL after this season.
“Let me finish this tournament and then I will sit down with the franchise to talk about my future and what they want to do. I am also mindful of the fact that we need to start looking ahead and for younger players.”
The 40-year-old joined the Royals from Royal Challengers Bangalore last year. Ians
