IND vs NZ: ‘We have to keep our feet on the ground and be a bit realistic about this win’: Rahul Dravid

Team India head coach Rahul Dravid feels the 3-0 series whitewash over New Zealand in the T20Is is a good sign for the team in the long run but at the same time, he is realistic to not get overboard. New Zealand struggled in the sub-continent conditions in all three games and looked a pale shadow of the team that played during the 20-20 World Cup.

The visitors managed to put a fight in the two T20Is but came as a copper in the third match as they were bundled out for just 111 in a run-chase of 185. New Zealand rested a few of their main players from the series owing to the tight schedule and bio-bubble fatigue.

“It was a really good series win. Everyone played really well right through the series. It feels good, nice to start well. We are also quite realistic. We have to keep our feet on the ground and be a bit realistic about this win,” Dravid said at the post-match presentation here.

Dravid further sympathized with the New Zealand team for not getting enough time to prepare for the series. New Zealand played the 20-20 World Cup final on November 14 and arrived in India on November 15 before playing the first game on November 17. “Not easy for New Zealand to play a World Cup final and then to turn up three days later and play three games in six days, was never going to be easy for them. It was nice from our perspective but we have to learn from this series and move forward.

Dravid further opined that it is just the start and over the next two years, India will face a lot of challenges. “It’s a long journey ahead over the next two years and we’ll have our share of ups and downs.”