In a World Cup match against Bangladesh, Angelo Mathews faced a unique and contentious timed-out dismissal, rekindling the ongoing debate surrounding the 'Spirit of Cricket.' The incident unfolded when Mathews, following the dismissal of Sadeera Samarawickrama, couldn't get ready in time to face his first ball, leading to an appeal by Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan.
India's head coach, Rahul Dravid, weighed in on the controversy, expressing the view that players should be allowed to strictly adhere to the rules of the game if they choose to do so. Dravid emphasized the diversity of perspectives, stating, "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."
"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."
Shifting focus to India's final league match against the Netherlands, Dravid emphasized the importance of concentrating on the game itself, avoiding distractions like the playing 11 and conditions. He noted that after a six-day break since the last game, the team is in good shape, and the current focus is on preparing mentally and physically for the upcoming semifinal and, hopefully, the final if they qualify.
Dravid emphasized the need for a narrow focus at this stage, stating, "There are times for larger picture thinking and there are times for narrow focus thinking. In my opinion, now's the time for the narrow focus thinking."
