Batting great Sunil Gavaskar feels Rahul Dravid will handle his new responsibility as head coach of the Indian team in the same "safe and strong" manner as he went about his batting while playing for the country.

Dravid, one of the greatest cricketers to have played for India, was appointed as the chief coach of the Indian team following the end of Ravi Shastri's tenure, earlier this month.

"When he used to play, we used to think that till Rahul Dravid is at the crease, the Indian batting is safe and strong," Gavaskar said on the Star Sports show Follow the Blue. "This is the reason why I believe that the new responsibility of head coach that falls upon him, he will be able to handle it in a similar way," he added.

Highlighting the similarities between, Rohit Sharma, who took over as T20 skipper from Virat Kohli and Dravid, Gavaskar said the two men will work well together easily.

"If you look at both of their temperaments, they are quite similar. Rohit is of a quiet nature just like Rahul Dravid. So I think their bond will be quite good because both of them will understand each other well," Gavaskar said.

The three-match T20 series against New Zealand, starting Wednesday in Jaipur, is the first assignment for Dravid and Sharma.

Kohli has been rested for the series.