Ravi Shastri praises Kohli and team, takes a dig at previous captains
- Ravi Shastri says that the Indian team has already done things that a lot of other Indian teams and a lot of big names couldn't do in their careers
- He said that a lot of big names have played for 20 years, and they have come to Sri Lanka many times, but they have never won a series
FollowIt seems Ravi Shastri is back to the days of heaping praises in favour of his players irrespective of their performances. The head coach was a proud man when he spoke of India's latest exploits in Sri Lanka.
"This Indian team has been with each other for two years, and they are much more experienced now. They have already done things that a lot of other Indian teams and a lot of big names couldn't do in their careers, for example, winning a series here in Sri Lanka (in 2015)," Shastri said during a media conference, ahead of the second Test, starting Thursday, August 3.
Some have also alleged that Shastri looked like a man on the edge. Every question asked to the head coach was answered with a retort. He even said that the current crop of players is a lot better than the previous teams.
With a platoon of support staff in the dressing-room, Shastri was asked what exactly his role was. “My role is to be in charge of the entire support staff and to make sure that we get the boys in some great mental space to go out and express themselves. To go out and play a brand of cricket which you have seen India play over the last three years. That is positive and fearless.”
When Kohli's men won the Test series in Sri Lanka back in 2015, they had won after a gap of 22 years with Mohammed Azharuddin's team winning a series back in 1993.
"A lot of big (Indian) names have played for 20 years, and they have come to Sri Lanka many times, but they have never won a series. This team has done that. This team is used to doing things that a lot of other (Indian) teams haven't done and that too overseas," Shastri said.
However, whatever Shastri said about the Indian team not winning tests abroad is not entirely accurate. Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men won a series (1-0) against New Zealand in 2009 and drew (1-1) against South Africa in 2011. Rahul Dravid beat a full-strength England 1-0 in a 2007 away Test series. Sourav Ganguly's team drew 1-1 in Australia back in 2004 and also drew (1-1) the rubber against Nasser Hussain's England in 2002.
And, therefore, it seems like Ravi Shastri is back to his ways of praising the team to remain in their good books, even if the win is against a hapless Sri Lanka who hardly looked like they knew what they were doing.
