BEING run out for a duck is hardly the ideal way to start your international career. When the other batter, however, is one of the best players in the world and you’re just a teenager then it’s usually circumspect to bite your tongue and trudge off quietly– especially when the other player then goes on to make a century.

Kyle Coetzer can look back on that moment now and smile. The Scotland captain was just 19 when he was sent out to bat with the great Rahul Dravid in a game against Northants. The man known as The Wall for his obdurate occupation of the crease had been recruited by Cricket Scotland for the 2003 summer at a time when he was at the peak of his batting powers. It was a real coup.

Coetzer, in contrast, was taking his first steps in the international game, a journey that has led to him skippering his country in a T20 World Cup Super 12 match against India later today.

He and Dravid, who will become India’s head coach following this tournament, have been thrown together again recently, with both sitting on the ICC’s Cricket Committee. And the Scot took the chance to reminisce with his former team-mate about that infamous mix-up in the middle two decades ago.

“I did remind Rahul recently that in one of my first ever games for Scotland against a county side, we were involved in a run out,” he said. “And I was the person run out and he wasn’t! I remember I got a clear “no!” and was sent back [but didn’t make it]. That was against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, I remember that day well.

“I think that was fair enough given he was the mainstay of the Scotland team then and we had to make sure he performed well and scored runs.

“He was always a very humble and very respectful person. He spoke so highly and so well to all the players. He’s a fine individual.”

Coetzer has also spent the past three years picking the brains of Anil Kumble, the legendary Indian leg spinner, as part of his duties as Associate cricket’s representative on that ICC committee.

“They are two fantastic people, icons who are fully respected within the game,” he said of Kumble and Dravid. “Being able to spend a bit of time with them in the last couple of years has been pretty special, surreal in many ways actually.

“It’s been a real honour to have been sat next to them although in the last two years there haven’t been that many actual meetings going on due to the pandemic.

“But listening to their views on the game, it’s really special to be able to get that insight on where they think the game needs to go. Two good people to bounce ideas off.”

Coetzer must try to get the better of another Indian cricket legend this afternoon in Virat Kohli as Scotland aim for their first victory of this Super 12 phase.

India have picked up in their last few games after a slow start to this World Cup, with today’s contest representing the pinnacle of many of the Scotland players’ careers.

It will be a huge shock if Shane Burger’s men were to pull off an upset but Coetzer wants them to approach the game with confidence.

He added: “It’s a formidable challenge coming up against a strong India team full of exciting players. We’ve got to push that to one side and try to take on the challenges in front of us. We can’t fear their players but we have to respect them.

“As a batting unit we will look to play positively but try to keep wickets in hand at the same time. That’s the balance you have to try to find. Coming out the powerplay two or three wickets down is less than ideal. It’s about assessing the pitch too and making the right choices.”