Team India bounced back in the ODIs against England and convincingly won the series. It was a big achievement for men in blue, after facing crushing defeats in the Test series, and Ravi Shastri insisted he felt proud the way Indian team responded in the series.
Shastri was appointed Indian team’s director for the limited-overs series by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to see all cricket-related affairs of the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side.
The team witnessed a dramatic turnaround in the series and registered back-to-back wins over the hosts to clinch the series. They, however, went down in the final one-dayer but still won the series 3-1.
“I got more than I would have expected,” Shastri told ESPNcricinfo. “I say that only because England’s record at home, not many sides have thrashed them 3-1 in a four-match ODI series.”
“It is a big achievement, from what they were mentally after the Test series defeat, and then, to respond in that fashion made me feel proud,” he added.
There were speculations that coach Duncan Fletcher’s job is hung in balance, following Shastri’s appointment, as the Indian board is looking to offer a long term contract to the former Indian skipper. BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel, however, had clarified that nothing is decided in this matter.
According to reports, Fletcher’s stay as India’s coach depends on Shastri’s report. Shastri, meanwhile, termed Fletcher as a tremendous coach and added that the Zimbabwean is a respected figure in the Indian dressing room.
“Fletcher is the coach,” Shastri said. “He looks over the handling of various things including little, little stuff. He is tremendous. He would have done over a 100 Tests as a coach, which is massive. He is very good.”
“He is technically very sound,” he added. “He is a solid character. He is respected. He is a fatherly figure. Let the media say what they want. I have told you what I thought of Fletcher. I will go back and speak with the BCCI.”
