The Debate Over 'Star Culture'

Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid has voiced his disagreement with Gautam Gambhir’s perspective on the role of superstars in Indian cricket. While Gambhir has frequently advocated for a shift in focus away from individual stardom toward collective team success, Dravid believes that individual achievements are the very foundation of a sport's popularity and a team's triumph.

Speaking on the Scoop podcast by Wisden, Dravid emphasized that the status of a 'superstar' is earned through consistent performance and contribution to the team. He noted that in a country as passionate as India, reaching such a status involves enduring immense scrutiny.

“Any sport needs its heroes, and I don’t think people become heroes without performances. You can’t capture the imagination of a nation if you don’t deliver on the field, especially in India, where you get a lot of praise for what you do, but also a lot of brickbats,” Dravid explained. “To become a legend or a superstar in India means you’ve done a lot of things right, and in the process, you’ve also helped your team win.”

Challenges in the Modern Era

Dravid, who played during the golden era alongside icons like Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, highlighted that the modern game presents unique challenges. He specifically pointed to the grueling cricket calendar and the difficulty of balancing white-ball and red-ball cricket.

He observed that current players may struggle to find the same level of preparation for Test cricket that his generation enjoyed due to the sheer volume of white-ball matches. "We effectively had fewer formats," Dravid remarked, suggesting that the lack of balance is a result of the schedule rather than a lack of will from the players.

Outlook on India's Test Performance

Addressing India's recent struggles in the red-ball format under Gambhir's tenure, Dravid acknowledged the difficulty of replacing legends like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin. Despite these gaps, he remains optimistic about the team's resilience.

“The passion to do well in red-ball cricket is definitely there... Indian cricket remains very strong. I still believe the Indian team will be competitive in every format it plays,” Dravid stated, expressing hope that the team would turn things around in the coming season.