“There is no real right and wrong, fine to have differences” - Rahul Dravid on spirit of cricket vs rules debate 

Team India head coach Rahul Dravid has stated that there is no real right or wrong in the spirit of cricket vs following the rules debate. The Indian legend said that every mind thinks differently and also added that no one can be blamed for following the rules.

A controversy erupted during the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh 2023 World Cup match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on November 6 when Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews became the first player to be dismissed timed out in international cricket. Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan appealed for his wicket. The incident reignited the spirit of cricket debate.

At a post-match press conference, Dravid was asked for his views on the spirit of cricket vs rules argument. He replied that it was okay to have differences of opinion in the manner.

“Everyone thinks differently. We are all unique creatures and we have our own minds and thoughts. There is no real right and wrong. It's fine to have those differences," the 50-year-old said.

"When someone wants to take the letter of the rule to the last Nth degree, I don't think you can complain about it because, honestly, he's just following the rules as he sees it. You might not do it yourself. But you can't blame somebody for following it,” Dravid added.

After being declared timed out, Mathews had a chat with the umpires and Shakib. He even requested the latter to withdraw his appeal, citing delay due to helmet malfunction, but the Bangladesh captain refused.

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“We're very impressed with the way they have played” - Dravid on Netherlands

Shifting focus to the India-Netherlands game, Dravid praised the Dutch side for their spirited performances in the World Cup. Asserting that the Men in Blue would not be taking the opposition lightly, he commented:

“We're very impressed with the way they have played in this tournament, the effort that they've gone through to be able to qualify. I certainly know how difficult it is for Associate teams to be able to reach this level and play, having spent some time in Scotland myself in the early part of the 2000.

“It's quite inspiring to see that in spite of the challenges they face they're able to compete at this level. I know they'll be well prepared, a well-coached cricket team. We're looking forward to playing them,” Dravid concluded.

Netherlands have registered two wins in the 2023 World Cup. They beat South Africa by 38 runs and Bangladesh by 87 runs.