"Teams at bottom can beat teams at top": Rahul Dravid on Rajasthan Royals' playoff hopes

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], April 30 (ANI): Rajasthan Royals (RR) Head Coach Rahul Dravid has emphasised a balanced approach between long-term planning and immediate competitiveness as his team prepares for a crucial clash against Mumbai Indians.
Speaking exclusively on the Star Sports Press Room, Dravid reflected on the team's current standing, the emergence of young talent like Vaibhav Suryavanshi, and the Royals' mindset heading into the business end of the season.
On the Rajasthan Royals' playoff hopes, Dravid acknowledged the challenges of a tightly contested tournament.
"It's a tight tournament. Teams at the bottom can beat teams at the top. The margins are small," he said on Star Sports.
"We're aware that with six points we're low on the table, but we're taking it one game at a time. The focus is on winning the next match--not worrying about the table," he added.
Dravid was candid about the Royals' long-term vision of backing young Indian talent while making it clear that their intent this season was never just developmental.
"Even though we've kept one eye on the long-term by retaining young Indian players, we didn't enter the season thinking only about the future. We believe we could win this year," he explained.
"The results haven't always gone our way, but we're not using our long-term thinking as an excuse. We've been competitive, just small moments have cost us. The players we backed are part of our vision for the future, but also good enough to win now," he said.
One such standout from the Royals' young brigade has been 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who recently stunned fans with a century against Gujarat Titans. Dravid, known for nurturing emerging talent, praised the way the team has handled both highs and lows. Suryavanshi made 101 off 38 balls, which included seven boundaries, and eleven maximums.
"What I've been proud of is how calm this young group has remained, win or lose," he said, ahead of the pivotal clash against Mumbai Indians.
"We've trained and prepared well throughout, and even after a good performance, like Vaibhav's last game, we haven't made too much of a fuss internally," he added.
Looking ahead to the fixture, Dravid emphasized the learning opportunity it provides for his players.
"Tomorrow's game is another opportunity--a big one--against a strong Mumbai Indians side," he said.
"It's exciting for our youngsters to test themselves against that level of talent. And hopefully, they'll be able to put up a good show," he added. (ANI)