Ravi Shastri's comments have come, days before India's five-mach T20 series against South Africa. (FILE)Ravi Shastri at E.Adda highlights: Ravi Shastri on Thursday said that with better communication Kohli-BCCI situation could have been handled better.
He said, “Virat has given his side of the story, it needs the board president to give his side of the story. With good communication, the situation could have been handled better.”
On Ashwin he said, “Ashwin did not play the Test in Sydney and Kuldeep bowled well. So it’s fair I give Kuldeep a chance. If that hurt Ashwin, I am very happy. It made him do something different. My job is not to butter everyone’s toast. My job is to state facts without agenda.”
“If your coach challenges you, what will you do? Go home crying and say I won’t come back. I as a player would take it as a challenge, to prove the coach wrong,” he said.
“If my statement on Kuldeep hurt Ashwin, I am glad I made that statement. It made him do something different,” he added.
On the T20 World Cup loss against Pakistan, he said, “You don’t prepare differently for a match against Pakistan. Look at the results over the last 20 years, we have a 90%-plus winning record. On a given day anything can happen. But why change anything because of one or two losses.”
On MS Dhoni, he said, “For me, it really didn’t matter when Dhoni was announced as the mentor. There is no sharper brain than Dhoni when it comes to white ball cricket. I know him (Dhoni) at close quarters and if something is done for the good of the game, why not?”
On Hardik Pandya, he said, “If Hardik Pandya can take a break for a bit, work on his fitness, get stronger, he will be a real asset. He can easily give you the four overs in T20 cricket.”
On the IPL-national team conflict of interest, Shastri said, “It is over the top this conflict of interest. I was not really for it. A masseur with the Indian team cannot work with an IPL team. Conflict of interest is absolute nonsense. It should be thrown into the bin. For me to not be allowed to do commentary if I am India coach, how is that conflict of interest? Ever since it came out in Lodha report, I was against it. You aren’t giving your cricketers a chance. It’s absolutely nonsense, this conflict of interest clause, should be thrown into the bin.”
He also talked about his father. “My father was my buddy. Completely selfless. Until two days before he passed away, he was at his clinics in Mahim and Dharavi. If you go there, no one knows Ravi Shastri, but they know Dr Shastri.”
Highlights:
You need someone of stature to come in and say this is not right, there could be problems if we go down this road.
My main interest now will to be coach at grassroots level, he added.
I have just got out of the bubble. I have not discussed anything with anybody. I want to later come back to what I love. TV and media. I just want to coach on a grassroot level now.
It is over the top this conflict of interest. I was not really for it. A masseur with the Indian team cannot work with an IPL team. Conflict of interest is absolute nonsense. It should be thrown into the bin. For me to not be allowed to do commentary if I am India coach, how is that conflict of interest?
Ever since it came out in Lodha report, I was against it. You aren't giving your cricketers a chance. It's absolutely nonsense, this conflict of interest clause, should be thrown into the bin.
Rahul Dravid knows his job. All I want to say to him is enjoy. KL Rahul is there, Shreyas Iyer has good leading qualities in the future especially in white-ball cricket.
You don't prepare differently for a match against Pakistan. Look at the results over the last 20 years, we have a 90%-plus winning record. On a given day anything can happen. But why change anything because of one or two losses.
Ash and Hanuma showed great character in Sydney. I think we won the series there. On December 19, we were 36 all out. On January 19, exactly a month later, it was like buccaneers storming the Gabba, stealing the jewels and taking the flight back. That series will go down as one of the epic series.
Egos will be there, it's about how you channelise those egos. Therein lies your man-management skills.
My father was my buddy. Completely selfless. Until two days before he passed away, he was at his clinics in Mahim and Dharavi. If you go there, no one knows Ravi Shastri, but they know Dr Shastri.
If Hardik Pandya can take a break for a bit, work on his fitness, get stronger, he will be a real asset. He can easily give you the four overs in T20 cricket.
For me, it really didn't matter when Dhoni was announced as the mentor. There is no sharper brain than Dhoni when it comes to white ball cricket. I know him (Dhoni) at close quarters and if something is done for the good of the game, why not?
The way Ashwin bowled in 2019 and the way he has bowled in 2021 is chalk and cheese. About throwing Ashwin under the bus, he need not worry because I had told the bus driver to stop 2-3 feet short The message to Ashwin in 2018 was that he had to be fit. He has worked on that and look how's bowling now. He's world-class.
Ashwin did not play the Test in Sydney and Kuldeep bowled well. So it's fair I give Kuldeep a chance. If that hurt Ashwin, I am very happy. It made him do something different. My job is not to butter everyone’s toast. My job is to state facts without agenda.
If your coach challenges you, what will you do? Go home crying and say I won't come back. I as a player would take it as a challenge, to prove the coach wrong.
I see a lot of myself in Virat, drive, hunger and self-confidence. My relationship with Virat was fantastic, two like-minded people going about their job.
It was a personality clash between two individuals who did not gel. It was their problem, not mine: Shastri on the Kohli-Kumble fallout
Once Virat said he didn't want to lead T20s, it opened for Rohit. He should be the white-ball captain.
Virat without a shadow of doubt should be Test captain, look at what he has done, no captain in the world leads with that kind of passion
I see no residue. Just events and you react to those events. That aside, we are cricketers. Both of us know the game. That does not mean we will agree on anything. Interacted with Ganguly many times. With good communication, the Indian team situation can be handled better.
Politicians have done an excellent job in administering cricket in India. BCCI is one of the most efficient boards over the last 40 years.
Rohit Sharma is the T20 captain now. He should be the white-ball captain.
Legalise betting as it will generate revenue for the government: Ravi Shastri at EAdda
One sportsman Shastri admires the most- Rafael Nadal
Best coach India has ever had- Ravi Shastri
Favourite cricket film- 83
Who do you think should be India's ODI captain, white ball captain- Rohit Sharma
India's successful run under coach Ravi Shastri and captain Virat Kohli, especially in Test matches, wouldn’t have been possible without Bharat Arun, who made the Indian bowling something to be feared and envied. In an interview to the Indian Express, Arun had said, ' During Ravi Shastri’s tenure, there was no agenda, decisions came from purely thinking about team values.'
READ MORE
Ravi Shastri has always been the crisis man in Indian cricket. When India faltered at the 2007 World Cup and Greg Chappell resigned after the tournament, he was given interim charge with an eye on resurrection. In 2014, when India were rolled over in the Tests in England, he was appointed team director, yet again for a course correction. Through his seven-year stint, with a mini break when Anil Kumble took over for a year, Shastri oversaw India’s rise, especially in the longest format.
READ MORE
Hello and welcome to the live updates from the Express Adda with former India cricket team coach Ravi Shastri. Shastri, whose tenure as head coach ended recently and who ensured that the team, with a 65 per cent winning run across all formats, is a genuine contender to win a Test series anywhere in the world, will be in conversation with Anant Goenka, Executive Director, The Indian Express Group, and Head of New Media at The Indian Express; and Deputy Associate Editor Sriram Veera.