Dravid downplays Chappell's 'dressing down' to team

MOHALI: Indian skipper Rahul Dravid on Saturday accused the media of "eavesdropping" in the instance of coach Greg Chappell giving a dressing down to the players during a practice session, and said a "private conversation" was taken out of context and blown out of proportion.

During a practice session on the eve of the match against the West Indies in Ahmedabad, Chappell reportedly did some tough-talking with the players and told them, "You blokes are living a dream."

Chappell was heard blasting the players for "not being involved" and for coming to the practice sessions only to "joke around".

Dravid said that it was natural for teams to have conversations between the coaches, players and the captain.

"Sometimes they (these conversations) are taken out of context. A private conversation between a coach and players was heard and taken out of context. People have assumed a lot of things which they should not have," Dravid said.

He said it was "unfortunate" that the conversation had been heard and more regrettable was that it was taken out of context.

Indirectly referring to the cut-throat competition among the media these days, he said, "these are the times we are living when even private conversations are heard and people think they can eavesdrop and then blow it out of proportion."