Former India captain and now coach of the Sri Lanka-bound Indian team, Rahul Dravid, is excited about his first assignment with the Shikhar Dhawan-led outfit. Dravid, 48, who has 24,208 international runs to his name, reckons the six limited-overs games—three ODIs and as many T20Is—starting with the ODI in Colombo on July 13, will be a great opportunity for the youngsters in the team to impress the national selectors ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup, beginning in UAE on October 17.

‘Youngsters keen to do well’

“This tour is crucial for a lot more people other than Prithvi [Shaw] as well; someone like Devdutt Padikkal or Ruturaj Gaikwad, a lot of the younger boys will be extremely keen to do well. Whether they will get selected for the T20 World Cup or no, is a call the selectors to take. But good performances against international oppositions will help. If you can do well at this level, the selectors will surely take note,” Dravid said during a virtual press conference on Sunday ahead of the team’s departure to the island nation.