'Playing Kohli and Rohit would have...': Rahul Dravid answers million-dollar question after India's loss to West Indies

For a series that was expected to have been wrapped up on Saturday evening in Barbados has suddenly found itself going down the wire as West Indies inflicted a shock six-wicket defeat to India in the second ODI match of the three-game series. India have been on experiemental mode in the series and while they barely surived in the opener earlier on Thursday, courtesy ofg the bowlers, with Virat Kohli and captain Rohit Sharma rested, the batters faltered yet again resulting in criticism from exeprts and fans on the experiments which made little sense to them. After the loss on Saturday, head coach Rahul Dravid explained why the two senior batters were rested for the second ODI match.

Rohit and Kohli would have barely batted in the series opener at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown as well, had it not been for the collapse in India's chase of 115. Both the veterans of the game had made way for the younger batters to get game time and gear themselves up as World Cup audition nears it end. But successive wickets saw, Rohit walk in at No.7 and ensured that Kohli, at No.8, wasn't required.

ALSO READ: 'What's the point of picking Rohit, Kohli if they won't play?': Ex-IND selector's ruthless rant as team loses 2nd WI ODI

On Saturday, the two were benched, Hardik was made the skipper and the young batting line-up was given the full license to make use of the opportunity. But just like in the first match, barring Ishan Kishan, who scored his second successive fifty, no other batters turned up, resulting in India managing a humiliating scored of 181, which was chased down by West Indies in 36.4 overs for the loss of four wickets.

Speaking to the media after the loss, Dravid explained that the West Indies series served them as the last chance to pull off these experiments before they head towards the Asia Cup, followed by the World Cup. He added that with uncertainty around the return of injured players in Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul, the management had to give the back-up options some game time to keep themselves match ready if found in a worst-case scenario.

"Honestly, this was our last chance to try some of our players. We have got four of our players who are injured and are in the NCA. With days to go for the Asia Cup and then the World Cup, we are kind of running out of time in a lot of ways. And we are hoping that some of them will be for the Asia Cup and the World Cup but we can't take those chances. We have to try out other people and give them chances so that in worst case scenario they at least have game time behind them.

It also gives us the opportunity to make some decisions on players. Honestly in a series like this with 2-3 matches to go before the Asia Cup, playing Kohli and Rohit would have not given us any answers. But with the injuries we have in the NCA and some uncertainty around them we just wanted to give others a chance," Dravid said.

With the series on the line, it is yet to be seen whether India would continue with their experiments in the third and final ODI match, slated to be played on August 1.