Dravid146;s decision would affect team: Chauhan

Shockwaves went through the cricket fraternity in India after Rahul Dravid8217;s sudden decision to quit captaincy...

Shockwaves went through the cricket fraternity in India after Rahul Dravid8217;s sudden decision to quit captaincy and all of a sudden Indian cricket is faced with a situation where not only the Board of Control for Cricket in India will have to find a new coach, but also a new captain.

Chetan Chauhan, former India cricketer, said: 8220;This Dravid8217;s decision would definitely affect the team. He8217;s leaving at a time when the side was gradually settling down under him. He was a decent captain who was improving with every game. He did well in the series against England and leading India to a Test series triumph after a 21-year gap in England is no mean achievement.8221;

He added that selectors should try and get Dravid to continue. 8220;I would request the selectors to try and persuade him to continue. Personally I would prefer Tendulkar, he was the vice captain in the Test series in England.8221;

But what seemed surprising was that the chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar was not aware of the development. 8220;I was not aware that he has stepped down, but it is unfortunate news. The next captain will have to be chosen quickly as the Australian team is set to arrive on September 25. We will pick the skipper during the selection meeting on September 18.8221;

And it seems that only the chief selector had been left in the dark. Rajeev Shukla, BCCI vice president, said: 8220;He has been requesting it for the past couple of days. He was feeling burdened as a player and captain. The BCCI will now consider the options. Dravid did not give any indication during the tour of England that he wanted to step down. I think the reasons are personal. He must have pondered over it.8221;

However, former India skipper MK Pataudi felt Dravid8217;s decision should be respected. Tiger Pataudi, as he is more popularly known, said: 8220;If someone doesn8217;t want to continue, he should be allowed to do that. But if he does not want to continue as captain we should respect that.8221;

And with their hands already full with the task of finding a new coach, the BCCI will now surely be under pressure to find a new skipper. 8220;We all like Dravid because he has done well for the Indian team. The BCCI president has spoken to him and the selection committee will also speak to him. Players at a certain age decide for themselves. We will all like to see him as a captain but he has made a decision and we have to respect it. Dravid has assured that he would extend his full co-operation to his successor and contribute as a batsman and a senior player,8221; said the BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah.