Ramiz Raja advices PCB to appoint Rahul Dravid-like coach for Pakistan U-19 team

India U-19 team thrashed Pakistan by 203 runs to storm into the final of 2018 U-19 World Cup.

Rahul Dravid | PTI

Former Pakistan skipper and one of the most renowned commentators in the world today, Ramiz Raja has urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to manage the country’s cricket much like the way BCCI is doing. Ramiz advised PCB to appoint an esteemed former Test cricketer like Rahul Dravid as coach with the Under-19 team.

"The way our players fielded and batted it wasn't pleasant to watch. I think in Pakistan we need a total revamp of our youth cricket system. The Cricket Board needs to pay a lot more attention to youth cricket," Ramiz was quoted by PTI as saying.

"We need to have give someone charge for a proper time period like India has done with Rahul Dravid," he further added.

Raja feels that winning at the youth level is not as important as identifying some of the rare talents since the future superstars are made from this very platform. Considering India U-19 performance in the ongoing World Cup wherein they have literally steamrolled every opposition to storm into the final, Ramiz said Rahul Dravid deserves lot of credit for it.

"I am impressed with the temperament shown by some of the Indian players. They have a fine find in Shubman Gill and others. Rahul Dravid deserves lot of credit for preparing and grooming them so effectively," he said.

The 55-year-old also hailed Dravid as a true role model for youngsters. He pointed out that a budding cricketer can become a better person and sportsman by being in the guidance of someone like Rahul.

"They learn such a lot from him not just about cricket but about everything else. How to conduct oneself, how to develop game sense and so on," Ramiz Raja concluded.

Having thrashed Pakistan U-19 by a huge margin of 203 runs in the semi-final, Prithvi Shaw led India U-19 side will India will now face Australia in all-important final. India had defeated Australia in the U-19 World Cup 2018 opener by 100 runs. The final is scheduled to be played on Saturday (February 3) at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 31 Jan, 2018

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