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India A team to pick coach Rahul Dravid's brains

India 'A' players will look to pick coach Dravid's brains as they take on Australia in first of two four-day games beginning today

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Australia ‘A’ captain Usman Khawaja (C) sits with teammates during a practice session ahead of their first four-day game against India ‘A’ at MAC Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday
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The next five-and-a-half weeks will throw the best opportunity to the young Indian cricketers to impress upon the selectors and stake their claims to the main team, what with lots of international cricket scheduled in the season.

The next 38 days will also be a chance for players to learn from India 'A' coach Rahul Dravid and pick his brains.

Also, the 'A' series, first up are an equally-strong Australia A side for two four-day games, the opening game of which is in Chennai from Wednesday, followed by a triangular limited-overs series also involving South Africa 'A' and concluding with two four-day 'Tests' with the Proteas.

Usually India 'A' travel to Australia for the Emerging Players tournament, however in a change from routine, the two teams from the Southern Hemisphere will be visiting the sub-continent.

India 'A' players will be led by Cheteshwar Pujara, who lost his place in the Test XI in Australia and only served drinks in the next two Tests. He will be looking to impress on selectors that his inconsistency Down Under was only temporary.

Likewise, KL Rahul, who scored an attractive century in only his second Test in Sydney but had to miss out on the one-off Test in Bangladesh last month due to illness, will be using these matches to prove his fitness and also be back among runs. He last played first-class cricket in March when Karnataka won the Ranji Trophy.

Others like pacer Varun Aaron could use these games as a preparation for the Sri Lanka Test series, where conditions will be similar to those in Chennai, weather and pitches wise. Unfortunately, the Indian pacer has been ruled out of the first 'Test' due to viral fever.

Dravid is the most high-profile India 'A' coach so far. The 164-Test legend was inspiring during his stint as mentor for the recently-suspended Rajasthan Royals. With most players claiming that his guidance enhanced their game and even their personality.

The 42-year-old maestro said he is equally excited about his new role.

Dravid said, "India 'A' is at the really exciting stage of development of a player. If you look at this India A team, there are quite a few young players who have had a great Ranji season and have been picked up for India 'A' for the first time. So, they have got the nod from the selectors who want to see how they step up to another level. There are other experienced players who selectors feel might be able to push for India selection again. I'm looking forward to working with the team," he said.

One of the challenges for Dravid would be to prepare pacers to feed the Test team that is starving of some quality fast bowling.

"The selectors are keen on trying to find some quality bowlers who can help India take 20 wickets. It will be nice to find bowlers at the end of the 'A' series who hopefully, go on and represent India and help take 20 wickets consistently," Dravid said.

He said that he would also maintain a "balance between the team and individual goals".

"Most cricketers are professional enough to recognise that they are playing for teams and success of the team also means you work and play in a better environment and probably gives you a chance to succeed individually as well. My role will be to balance that out, that this is a team game and we are trying to get team results as well but we are also looking at individual players as well. It is also a competition where you want to try things.

"The selectors are looking at specific combinations. It is not always you go into every game looking necessarily to win each and every game but also balancing out what the individual needs and the needs of the Indian team are, which are the skill sets that are required at the India level," he explained.

Teams (from): India 'A': C Pujara (C), KL Rahul, A Mukund, K Nair, S Iyer, N Ojha, V Shankar, A Mishra, P Ojha, S Thakur, V Aaron, A Mithun, U Yadav, S Gopal, B Aparajith
Australia 'A': U Khawaja (C, M Wade, S Abbott, A Agar, C Bancroft, J Burns, A Fekete, C Ferguson, P Handscomb, T Head, N Maddinson, S O'Keefe, G Sandhu, M Stoinis

What India 'A' players think of Dravid, the coach:

Cheteshwar Pujara:
All the players are excited under Rahul's coaching. He has been guiding all the players, both seniors and youngsters. He had lot of success in his career and so he knows all the aspects of the game starting from physical and mental skills. He is one of the best mentors I have worked with. All the players are enjoying in Rahul's company and coaching

Shreyas Iyer:
We all know he is a great mentor, coaching since long with RR and achieved lots of glory in the past. I will be learning a lot from him, technique- and skill-wise. It is always great to be around him. He does not make you feel as a newcomer in the team. This is a great opportunity for me to make the most use of it.

KL Rahul:
Dravid is going to share his experience, guide the youngsters in the right way. We hardly get to talk to the players who have been through the pressure, been through the grind, know how it is to come back from a failure or how to be successful. He has been through all that. The knowledge and the experience he has got about the game is only going to do great wonders for me individually and for Indian cricket and the youngsters.

Amit Mishra:
He has vast experience. As a batsman, you can take tips from him and use his experience on what to bowl and what not to.

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