Internet Desk: Former India Captain Rahul Dravid will mentor Delhi Daredevils in the IPL Season 9. South African Paddy Upton will coach them. Dravid and Upton will work with a team of assistants: Zubin Bharucha (technical director), former India batsmen Sridharan Sriram and Praveen Amre (batting coaches), and former Tamil Nadu and India fast bowler TA Sekhar (bowling consultant).
Rahul Dravid looked very excited in taking up this new role after working with suspended franchise Rajasthan Royals. Incidentally, the trio of Dravid, Upton and Bharucha were part of the core team at Rajasthan Royals, which has been suspended for two seasons by the Lodha Committee. In 2014, having served as captain in previous seasons, Dravid assumed the role of team director cum mentor at Royals. In the 28 matches Dravid oversaw, the franchise won 13 matches and lost 12, with two ties and one no result. One of the most sought after coaches in the T20 format, Upton recently won the Big Bash League with Sydney Thunder, before also coaching Lahore Qalandars in the inaugural Pakistan Super League.
The franchise was forced to ring in changes to the coaching staff once former South Africa batsman and coach Gary Kirsten’s three-year contract was terminated after two seasons. Under Kirsten, who took charge in September 2013, Daredevils finished bottom of the table in IPL 2014 and second from the bottom last year. Daredevils also axed Kirsten’s assistant Rob Walters, who was the trainer.
Rahul Dravid feels it will be easy to work with the bunch of guys in Daredevils camp as players like Chris Morris, Karun Nair and Sanju Samson had previously played under Rahul Dravid and Paddy Upton in Rajasthan Royals previous few seasons. Rahul Dravid is presently in charge of India U-19 and India A teams. Some of the Indian U-19 players like Khaleel Ahmed, Mahipal Lomror and Rishabh Pant are also in the Delhi Daredevils side.