Veteran India off-spinner R Ashwin has defended India head coach Rahul Dravid’s absence from the New Zealand tour, saying the support staff “needed a break” after putting in extensive work in preparation for the T20 World Cup.

Days after Dravid’s predecessor Ravi Shastri had questioned why an India coach would need a break when they get “two-three months” off during the IPL, Ashwin said that the coaching staff was physically and mentally burned out. Former India batter and current National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman is in charge of the Indian team in New Zealand in Dravid’s absence.