'Games like this can't happen': Rahul Dravid's stern message to Team India ahead of 3rd T20I vs Sri Lanka

Amidst huge uproar, India head coach Rahul Dravid has backed the green horns in the team and appealed the fans and the critics to be a bit patient with the boys. He expects the youngsters in Team India would eventually learn from their mistakes with more exposure at the topmost level.

Team India is currently playing the three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka with a lot of youngsters and without the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and KL Rahul. While the Men in Blue are trying to rebuild a team with fresh faces, there were mistakes galore as they conceded seven no-balls in the second T20I against the visitors on Thursday. In total, 11 extras were conceded in the form of wides and no-balls alone. Trailing 1-0 in the series, such mistakes gave the perfect platform to Sri Lanka to bounce back and they levelled the contest 1-1.

India head coach Rahul Dravid (Getty)

Since the loss, Hardik Pandya and Co. are under immense criticism over India's failing top order batting and multiple schoolboy errors like over-stepping and resulting in a no-ball. India fans are up in arms against pacer Arshdeep Singh who was the major culprit of the sorry state of affairs as he delivered five no-balls in the match, to the astonishment of skipper Pandya. Young speedsters Shivam Mavi and Umran Malik bowled one no ball each to pile on hardships for the hosts.

Amidst such huge uproar, India head coach Rahul Dravid has backed the green horns in the team and appealed the fans and the critics to be a bit patient with the boys. He expects the youngsters in Team India would eventually learn from their mistakes with more exposure at the topmost level.

"Nobody wants to bowl wides and no-balls in any format of the game, but especially in the T20 format of the game," said Dravid.

"The young kids will have games like this at times, and I think we all need to be patient with them, (but) we need to be understanding that games like this can't happen," he added.

"I think as they're learning, it's tough. It's not easy learning in international cricket. You have to learn on the job. I think we're going to have to have a little bit of patience with these guys," concluded Dravid.

The third and final T20I match between India and Sri Lanka will be played on Saturday, January 07 at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.