By: BCCI
Despite a 2-0 drubbing in the T20Is, team India director Ravi Shastri believed the losses have been a great learning curve for the T20 outfit. He believed the losses had given a great exposure in the build up to the T20 World Cup. “We have a long season coming and this will serve as a great exposure for the team,” he said. “We might have lost the series but I treat it as a great exposure in the lead up to the World Twenty20. As a unit we have played very little T20 cricket in bilateral series. It’s a young team, we’re still figuring out on what will be our best combination and the best way forward. There is no better preparation than playing a team like South Africa who play more T20 cricket than any other team in the world,” added Shastri.
When asked to sum up the T20I series, Shastri was of the view that the team could have put up a better show in the 2nd T20I in Cuttack – a loss that was still hurting the team. “I would go down to one game really in Cuttack where we could have played much better but we just did not show up. The boys are also disappointed about it. I am disappointed with the result as anybody would be. We play to win. But it’s nothing that it will give me a sleepless night. It has taught me a lot as well going forward into the World Twenty20. There are plenty of things to learn. South Africa are one of the strongest teams across all formats. By the time they leave we will be a much stronger team in two and a half months. We will be a much better team irrespective of the result.”
Going forward, the team director was confident that the team would put up better performances in the ODI series. “We have had a good look in the two games and know what we can expect out of the South Africans. In the one-day competition we understand our game as well. We are far better side in the one-dayers and I expect a very good contest over the next month.”
In the build up to theT20 World Cup, India have a packed schedule ahead of them after the South Africa series. With so much of cricket being played at the international and domestic front, there are bound to be other names apart from the current crop that could impress with some good performances. Shastri believed it was a great opportunity to throw the hat into the ring and take a keen look at those performances as well. Also, unburdening Dhoni would be one of the key things that the team was looking at, according to Shastri. “Our endeavour will be to get Dhoni back at his hitting best. We know what he can do when he starts striking. The world knows. I don’t have to say anything.”
Elaborating further on the crucial No.6 batting position in T20Is, Shastri said the next few months will be crucial in deciding who would be the right man to take up the responsibility. “We are very keen to see the month of December when all the one-day competitions are scheduled. The No.6 position has a different role in 50-over cricket, but an extremely important role in T20 cricket. The team that goes on to win the World T20, you will see that their No.6 batsman could be a very crucial player. The whole December and January month will be watched closely.”
