All eyes will be on Rahul Dravid when he turns out for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy season opener against Mumbai at the Wankhede stadium on Saturday.
The former India captain is hoping to get back among the runs after being unceremoniously dropped for the first two One-Day Internationals against Pakistan. Many former players have criticized the selectors for the way they dumped Dravid from the side and believe he deserved a much better treatment.
Newly-appointed Karnataka coach Vijay Bharadwaj also agrees that Dravid's ouster was unfair, considering that a few seniors players too had gone through a similar phase but were not dropped.
"It is very tough on Rahul because just a month back he was the captain and now he is not there in the 15. I don't think any other player can replace Rahul Dravid. If he doesn't find a place in the 15 for the next three matches, I think there is something wrong. It is only for Rahul, while other players got some leverage. I am sure you know which other guys I am talking about. If at that time it didn't happen to the other guys, then why should it happen to Rahul now," Bharadwaj told rediff.com in Mumbai on Friday.
"It is only two or three games in a trot that Rahul has not got runs. Everybody knows how good a player Rahul is and he will make his comeback. But the way people are treating him it is not acceptable at all," said Bharadwaj, clearly indicating that selectors ought to given Dravid a better deal.
However, Bharadwaj lauded Dravid for the way he has handled himself after being dropped.
"Nowadays, Rahul is very relaxed. He has got to a point where he has accepted things as they stand. He knows that it [getting dropped] is a part of life and he has to come out of it. He obviously wants to play to his strengths and contribute to the Karnataka side. I don't think he will play in the second match for Karnataka because I feel he should be in the Indian one-day team for the last three matches," he added.
With Anil Kumble leading the side, Karnataka are no doubt confident ahead of their clash against the champions on their home ground.
"It's the biggest advantage for us having Rahul and Anil at the start of the season. I don't know want to say just because we are playing Mumbai; it is an advantage. It is going to make our task easier having players like Anil [Kumble] and [Rahul] Dravid in the team against any team," he said.
Bharadwaj said having these two senior pros in the side has given his team the extra motivation to perform in the four-day encounter, starting on Saturday.
"In a way, if you look at it, our entire team is motivated and pumped up because these two guys are playing. The entire dressing room vibration changes when these two people step in. It is going to huge if you look at it. They will surely motivate the other players, they are going to give their inputs on the field and you can't ask for anything more.
"The youngsters in the team can learn a lot by sharing the dressing room with Rahul and Anil whose perseverance is to be appreciated. They are still going strong after such a long career," he said.
