Mumbai: Nobody may confirm, but there apparently were phases in recent times when captain Rahul Dravid had to act as a ‘messenger’ between coach Greg Chappell and most players.

Sounds unbelievable, but it reportedly did happen.

The complete breakdown in communication meant Dravid, an introvert himself, had to face the music. It’s anybody’s guess just how much it affected him as a person and as a cricketer.

“Dravid has come through a very tough period,” is what somebody in the know told The Telegraph on Saturday, the day after the World Cup review.

Meanwhile, Dravid hasn’t only been backing Virender Sehwag both inside and outside selection meetings — he stood by all his players during the review.

“At least one official specifically asked about the attitude of certain players, but Dravid insisted there had been nothing wrong with anybody’s behaviour,” revealed a well-placed source.

The gentleman added: “Throughout, Dravid kept saying if anybody had to be faulted, it would be him... His attitude enhanced the already high respect he enjoys...”

Dravid has kept the captaincy and, on the face of it, shouldn’t have problems with stand-in cricket manager (coach) Ravi Shastri. There’s enormous repair work to be done and, so, their task is cut out.