Legendary India batter Rahul Dravid has joined the European T20 League (ETPL) as a co-owner of the Dublin Guardians.
Speaking to PTI, Dravid expressed his excitement and commitment to learning in this new role. Based on his experience with various types of owners in the past, the former India head coach plans a hands-off approach to cricket decisions.
"So we'll only know when that happens. We'll only know how I will be because it's going to be my first opportunity and experience," Dravid said.
"I think honestly, the plan is for me not actually to get involved in the cricketing side of things. So to put together a good team that can do the job on a day-to-day basis. You certainly won't see me in the dugout. And I'm not someone who's going to be there at every practice session. Or for that matter, not there for even every game," he added.
Having roped in Ashwin as the captain of Dublin Guardians, Dravid believes that the great off-spinner needs to be given complete autonomy over on-field decisions. He aims to focus on building an efficient team structure and supporting the support staff.
"But I will certainly be supportive. I think we're lucky to have signed on someone like Ashwin as a captain and a mentor. And we'll put a team around him that will allow him to lead the team and run the team in the way that he wants to," Dravid stated.
"My job will really be to put together a team both on the field and of course there's a lot of work that needs to be done at a franchise level off the field. Which for me will be the priority and the focus. And sort of let Ashwin and the experts (support staff) that we pick, let them manage and run the cricket.
"So that is certainly the direction and the plan and the role that I see for myself," he further remarked.
Dravid acknowledged that owning a franchise is a new domain for him, but he is excited to learn and grow in this area.
"Obviously, it's a new frontier. It's new and it's something that obviously I'm excited about, but I do understand that I have a lot to learn. I have a lot to grow.
"I've been lucky that I've been given this opportunity and a chance to be able to do something new, to be able to learn and grow in another field, in another area."
Despite a crowded T20 market, Dravid believes the ETPL can carve out its own space due to the rich cricket history, culture, and existing local/Indian professional talent pool in that region.
"There is a rich history and a culture and a tradition in this part of the world, in Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands and in parts of Europe. Cricket is played by the local population as well and has been played for a long time. There are a lot of clubs here in Ireland and including a lot of Indian professionals have come here and played in Ireland."
"So there's already a captive audience. There's already a captive followership. There's already a captive talent pool that we can hope to sort of build on."
Dravid reckons the combined reach of Ireland, Scotland, and the Netherlands provides a "huge canvas" and a large area to build something fun and exciting.
"So it's not only about Ireland, but combining Scotland and the Netherlands and the rest of Europe as well gives us a much bigger area to work with.
"And then the quality of the kind of people involved both at the league level and at the ownership level, I feel, would be something that would be quite fun and exciting to work with in trying to build something in this part of the world," he concluded.
