IND vs SA | There is an expectation to win wherever we play, reckons Rahul Dravid

India recently won a two Test match series against New Zealand at home and will now tour South Africa for three Tests and three ODIs starting with the Centurion Test. Indian cricket is entering a new face with a new head coach Rahul Dravid and it will be his first tough assignment in red-ball cricket. 

India have been very impressive in Test cricket since last year. They scripted a historic win against a full fledged Australia team with a second string squad earlier this year . The team won a four match series by 2-1. Then, they were also leading against England by 2-1 before the last Test of the series was cancelled due to Covid-19 scare. India will be aiming for their first Test series win in South Africa. India head coach Rahul Dravid has said that there is always an expectation to win whenever the Indian team plays. 

"What's changed now is that there is an expectation to win wherever we play. Every time India travels abroad, irrespective of where it is in whichever format we are playing there is an expectation that we are good enough to compete, play well and win," Dravid said on bcci.tv.

Dravid has experience of handling the coaching responsibilities in IPL. He has also worked with India A and India Under-19 teams. He revealed that he expects his team to compete and give their best throughout the series without worrying about the results of the series. 

"My expectation as a coach simply is that the boys prepare well and we compete. That is all I am expecting them to do - be good with our preparations and we make an effort to compete and give ourselves the best chance," Dravid commented. 

"The results will look after themselves, I don't really try to focus on them or worry about winning or losing the series, sometimes a lot of that is not in your control. But certainly, the preparation, the intensity and competitiveness that you can bring onto the field, that grit and determination... if we can show them throughout the series, that's all I can ask for.”

Reflecting on how the team should approach the series, Dravid said that South Africa is one of the challenges to play cricket and the players should give their best to succeed.

"It's not easy, it's one of the most challenging places to play cricket and South Africa do play very well at home. We'll have to be at our best and all the boys recognise that. It's an opportunity but it's not going to come easy," he concluded.