Olympic sports and cricket can learn a lot from each other, says Rahul Dravid

FILE PHOTO: Rahul Dravid said that Olympic sports and cricket can learn a lot from each other

Indian batting legend Rahul Dravid has said that the sports played at the Olympics can learn a lot of lessons from cricket and vice-versa. The former Indian skipper was chosen by the Ministry of Sports(MoS) to be part of the Target Olympic Scheme, whose aim is to ensure that the Indian contingent returns with more medals in 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games.

Speaking after a meeting at the Sports Authority of India(SAI), the 41-year old said that every sport is unique in its own way and a few particular lessons can be learnt from some of them.

"Sport is sport and performance at elite level is performance at elite level. There is a lot that cricket can learn from performances of other athletes. There is lot of sharing of knowledge. There is lot that other sports can learn from cricket. It's not generally about specific lessons. I think specific lessons in specific sports are sometimes unique to each sport.” The former No.3 said.

Dravid is part of an 8-member team that also has the likes of Olympics Gold medalist Abhinav Bindra and Badminton great Pullela Gopichand, among others.

The Odd one out?

He also added that he was a bit surprised to be part of a team in which he was the only non-Olympian.

"I have been involved in an international sport for so long and I guess have an idea of what it takes for international athletes to be successful. I am not sure why I was invited on the committee but it's the kind of opinion that they want. I obviously am not going to comment on shooters or badminton players or athletes. For that we have Abhinav, Gopi and Anju with much more knowledge.” he said.

Other sports improving rapidly

He further said that other sports apart from cricket have shown tremendous improvement over the last few years and such an initiative would further help top athletes achieve more success.

"There is no doubt that things are improving in Indian sport even outside of cricket. We are getting a lot more medals at the international level and at the Olympics. So this is a great initiative. It supports the top athletes and that's how it's done all over the world and an elite athlete needs lot of support to compete at that level against the best players of the world”. the former right-hander added.

Happy about the efforts

Former badminton star Pullela Gopichand also expressed his happiness over the Government’s efforts to improve the condition of sports and sportsmen in the country.

"I think more or less in the last few years, we have seen government spending a lot on athletes, SAI has spent a lot on training the elite athletes in the last few years and this is an extension to the programme in a way. So that athletes not only get funding but also get other things and quicker. So that all their problems are addressed and also the competition at the world level is bigger and sharper and so there was a need for such kind of a programme.” the former All-England winner said.

"At times it's not just the money but other things as well. So basically identifying and telling them that you are the top players and we will do everything in our capacity to help you get the results”. he added.

The Vice-President of the Indian Olympic Association, Anurag Thakur has thanked the ministry for putting this initiative under the National Sports Development Scheme(NSDF).

"I think it's a good idea. We had a very successful first meeting where we looked at the names. And also looked at the system, which needs to be adopted of how to train the trainers as well as implement the scheme successfully and also bring in a lot of transparency and accountability into the system, so that we can increase our medal tally in the coming time." Thakur said.