By: BCCI
Ravi Shastri has been with Team India as the Director since over a year now. He joined them when the wounds of Test series defeat in England last year were green. He saw them fight in Australia and put up stunning performance in the World Cup to make the semi-finals. He also watched them learn from their mistakes and pull off a historic Test series win in Sri Lanka.
Now, his first assignment after the extension of his tenure is the home series against South Africa, starting from the T20Is and ODIs, followed by four Test matches. And the Team India Director is ever so excited about the challenge.
“Every assignment for me has been a big one for the last one year. You take it one series at a time,” Shastri said on the sidelines of Team India’s camp in Bengaluru. “There is no small series in world cricket today. It’s just the teams that change. The work ethics, what you put into place to win a game, all that has to be done in the same way that you do with any other team. Nothing changes.
“I treat it as a challenge. It is a responsibility which I have never backed away from, in anything I have done in life. This is no exception. It is a brilliant young team. You have seen their performances over the last year. I don’t have to say much. You can judge [for yourself]. They have done well in all formats of the game and the endeavour will be to keep that consistency going till we are in charge,” Shastri said.
Since MS Dhoni’s Test retirement last year, midway through the Australian tour, Virat Kohli has been leading the Test team with gusto. With Dhoni returning to the helm of the team for the limited overs leg of the South Africa series, Shastri sees no reason why having two captains will disrupt the continuity of the team.
“No problem at all. You are talking of a seasoned campaigner, a legend, one of the all-time greats of world cricket and not just Indian cricket,” he said of Dhoni. “So he takes over a job that he has been doing so well for a long time. Nothing new. Everything falls into place automatically.
“For the team there will be no difference. They played under him in the World Cup. They played under him in Bangladesh. So what’s different now? They are playing under a champion.”
MS Dhoni hinted recently that from now on he will bat at No. 4 regularly in the ODIs, and he has complete support of the Team Director.
“Don’t you think it is about time? He has done the dirty work for the last donkeys years. Give him the chance to enjoy himself,” Shastri said. “You are talking of probably one of the greatest captains and players to have played the game. I am not talking about India, I am talking world cricket. Check his record, what his achievements are in the shorter format of the game. I don’t think anyone will come close to him. As far as the decision is concerned, don’t worry about MS. He will decide on the day.”
The series against South Africa is the most challenging assignment for Team India in their long home season ahead. Shastri knows they will be a tough opponent to face but is confident his team can match up to their level and get the better of them.
“You have got to respect the fact they are the No. 1 team in the world. We know what we are up against. They are a stiff opposition. They play well in overseas conditions, better than any other side in world cricket. They travel better than any other team, and their record shows that. We know what we are up against, the respect is there, but we won’t take any backwards steps.”
