Ravi Shastri opens up on 'lowest point' in coaching career

Ravi Shastri’s ‘lowest point’ in coaching career- Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has opened up about the lowest point of his career. He recalled how he and the entire team were in a state of shock and wondering how it could have happened. He also opened up on the challenges of coaching Team India during his tenure.

Ravi Shastri opens up on ‘lowest point’ in his coaching career, says, ‘In a state of shock for days‘

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He said that India’s 36 all out in Adelaide during the India Tour of Australia was a challenging moment for him and the entire squad.

“See, the coach is in the firing line; there is no choice. That is the quirk of the job. You have to be ready from day one. I knew there would be no escape routes. The 36 all out was the lowest point. We had nine wickets in hand [overnight] and then we were bundled out for 36. All that had to be done was to score 80-odd more runs [to be in the game]. We were all numb. We were in a state of shock for days. How could that have happened?,” Shastri told The Week in an interview.

Shastri was equally thrilled to see Team India hold the trophy within a month as things took a flip over the next three Tests. India beat Australia in consecutive series in their backyard to lift the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

“It was not just me. I would be the first to put my hand up and say I was the one responsible, take the brickbats; there is no place to hide. I told the boys to focus on what they could do. The boys were unbelievable. One month after that 36 all out, on January 19, we had won the series. I am still thinking, how did that happen? I promise, as long as I live, people will talk about that series win,” he added.

India’s record under Shastri:

Tests: 43 matches — 25 wins and 13 losses

ODIs: 76 matches — 51 wins and 22 losses

T20Is: 65 matches — 43 wins and 18 losses

Achievements:

* Border Gavaskar Trophy win (2018-19): Under the duo’s guidance, India scripted history by becoming the first Asian team to beat Australia in a Test series in their own backyard.

* Second successive Test series triumph in Australia (2020-21): Though Kohli was not around for the full duration of the tour, Shastri and his stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane guided the team admirably in the absence of the regular skipper, as India defeated Australia to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the second successive time.

* World Test Championship final (2021): India made it to the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship under the captaincy of Kohli and Shastri’s guidance. However, Virat Kohli & Co. lost the final by eight wickets as New Zealand were crowned champions.

* ODI World Cup semi-final (2019): India were the best team in the group stages of the 2019 ICC World Cup and had topped the points table. However, the Men in Blue faced a heartbreaking defeat against New Zealand in the semi-final to bow out of the tournament.

* With the duo of Kohli and Shastri calling the shots, India took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series against England earlier this year before the rubber was suspended due to COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp.

* Under Shastri’s watch, India won a T20I series in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia.

* Shastri also oversaw a 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka in 2017, the first time they achieved such a feat.

* India also inflicted a whitewash on West Indies in a Test series in the Caribbean for the first time.

* During their time, India formed a potent pace bowling unit that shone in all conditions and against the best in the world.

* 42 months at the top of Test ranking: Under coach Shastri and skipper Kohli, the Indian team became a force to reckon with in Test cricket, holding on to the number one ranking in the world for 42 months from 2016 to 2020.

Ravi Shastri opens up on ‘lowest point’ in his coaching career, says, ‘In a state of shock for days‘

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(with PTI inputs)

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