Rahul Dravid appreciated Virat Kohli for valuing the longest format of the game and his level of intensity. Speaking about pressure as a whole, Dravid thinks that there is no escape from the five-day format.
Dravid on T20 vs Test
In the latest episode of ESPNcricinfo Videocast, former India captain Rahul Dravid speaks to player-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar where they both discussed about the increasing pressure of different formats of the game. Dravid said, “If you were to talk about the stress levels or pressure of a particular moment, then yes it’s a lot more in T20 format. To get there and hit sixes from ball one, requires practice and skill.”
One of the greatest No.3 Test batsmen of all times however when it comes to pressure, Test match has a completely different level.”But if you’re talking about pressure as a whole, the fact is that you have to play for five days in a Test Match. And I think that is pressure. There is no running away from that. In any other format you can get away, but in a Test match you go out and bat, then you watch you team bat then you watch the opposition bat and you have a lot of time to think. So I think pressure in a Test match is at a different level.”
Dravid went to highlight the difference between the shortest and longest format of the game. He explained, “The only difference between T20 cricket and Test cricket is that in T20 format you can get away with a lot more. But if you have glaring weaknesses, you cannot survive in Test cricket. In T20 format you have a specific role, and if you can perform well in that role, you can be successful.”
Dravid on Indian cricket team skipper Kohli
Rahul Dravid shared his experience of working with young players who want to play all formats of the game “But they know that if they practice their white-ball cricket, they can definitely get into an IPL team and make a living. And this thought today probably creeps in a lot earlier than in the previous generation of cricketers. But superstars will always want to play all the formats of the game.”
While Dravid himself advocates the idea of practising and playing all formats, he opined that the big names of the game will always like to play all formats. He then spoke about Virat Kohli who excels at every format. “There are some players like Virat who have shown that one can excel in all three formats of the game too but it takes special ability to do so. Things to learn from Virat is the intensity that he brings to practice and his ability to challenge himself. Intensity will help you survive difficult spells and you need to bring that into practice. I have watched Smith as well and he has tremendous work ethics too.”
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