“We think we certainly have got stars in our side,” asserted the former India captain even as he worked out the team composition with his former India and Karnataka team-mate Vijay Bharadwaj.
“I know some people are saying we don’t have the star value or quality in terms of some parameters. If you look at the international players we have, be it Jacques Kallis or Mark Boucher, Shivnarine Chanderpaul or Nathan Bracken or Dale Steyn... I mean these are the players who have carried their side single-handedly. We think we got exactly the kind of players we wanted and we are very excited about it. We are looking forward to them being part of our team, our franchise and enjoy the City of Bangalore. Even in terms of Indian players, you can't have more competitive players than Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan or Wasim Jaffer,” Dravid told Deccan Herald here on Friday.
“I am very satisfied with the team. I think we have got a good all-round combination of players who lend good balance to the side. We have got some exciting players both from abroad and at home. And I think we will be very competitive in the league,” he added.
Just as Mallya admitted the other day that Robin Uthappa was the player he would have loved to have in his side, Dravid too felt the Coorg-lad was the one he would have had appearing for Bangalore.
“Obviously, Robin comes on top of your mind but he went to some other side. He is a local lad and we would have loved to have him in our side," said Dravid. Uthappa was bought over by Mumbai for Rs 3.2 crore.
‘No easy bidding’
“It just shows the way things go. The rules of the bidding were such that it was not easy to have all the players that you wanted to have. One thing you have to understand is that in an auction of this kind there are a lot of variables, factors and lot other things that can happen which are beyond your control. It's not as simple as picking 11 players from a pool that you have.
"If you look at every other team not all of them were able to have players from their catchment areas. Mumbai couldn't get a single player from their catchment area. Delhi got just one, Chennai couldn't get anyone. It just happens so. There are eight teams and there are only so few players,” explained Dravid.
Dravid said his team thought bowling as a critical part in the Twenty20 format and composition of their attack testifies it. They have three fast bowlers in Zaheer Khan, Nathan Bracken and Dale Styen with varying pace. Kallis can be a more than handy paceman while they also have leg-spinner Anil Kumble.
“We did recognise that bowling would be an important aspect and we got a very potent attack. We got the experience and the ability and in the Twenty20 format, these two factors are going to be critical," remarked Dravid.
When asked if IPL was good for cricket, Dravid said "only time will tell."