India vs South Africa: Team India seeks consistency amid rotation

With Team India's big guns being rested often, coach Rahul Dravid doesn't want to cast his net too wide in run-up to Twenty20 World CupNEW DELHI: In seven months as Team India's head coach, Rahul Dravid has made it clear that he prefers consistency in selection. Though the IPL has thrown up a wide range of options and probable combinations, Dravid is not one to fall into the trap and make knee jerk changes to his plans. He has already made it clear that he is against casting his net too wide in the run-up to the T20 World Cup later in the year. During the IPL, he has been quietly observing the talent coming through and the performances of his first-choice players. Back in charge of the Indian team barely a week after the IPL, Dravid is holding his ground and is against making sweeping statements on players. After all, he has been synonymous with the word "process" for a long time. Under the scorching sun at Ferozeshah Kotla on Tuesday, with the bulk of India's marquee players being rested for the T20I series against South Africa, Dravid is steadfastly sticking to this "process".

Hardik put through the grindHardik Pandya, fresh from a triumphant return to competitive cricket as Gujarat Titans captain, was made to slog it out with his bowling on the main square for nearly 45 minutes before he could move to the nets for a hit with the bat. For all his exploits with the ball in the IPL, he still has to prove to the team management that he is ready to bowl at full tilt. "At this point, it is a positive that Hardik has started bowling again. It is really about ensuring that we can get the best out of him as a cricketer in terms of contributions," was all Dravid said about Hardik two days ahead of the first T20I here.

Hardik