Ravi Shastri: The overlooked India coach who played a pivotal role in India’s success
In the 1988 Madras Test, Ravi Shastri had to step in as the captain of the Indian team for the final Test against Vivian Richards’ West Indies. With India trailing 1-0 in the series, the team had fielded three debutants and one player was playing his first series. It was unlikely that Shastri’s team would beat the Caribbean side to win the series, but they did. Cut to 2020-21, India are in a similar position. Their entire bowling line-up has a total tally of 11 Test wickets. Against all the odds, India win the Gabba Test, breach the fortress, win the series and return home as heroes.
Historic series win for Team India! Youngsters delivered when it mattered, with Gilll and Pant in the forefront. Hats off to Ravi Shastri and the support staff for their part in this turnaround! So so proud of this bunch, this is one for the ages??? #AUSvsIND
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 19, 2021
This is Virat Kohli’s team, led by Ajinkya Rahane, but it is as much their team as it is of Ravi Shastri. There are a few things that social media will make you believe about Ravi Shastri, the coach, but his team time and again shows on the field the kind of belief which has been instilled by him. Let’s rewind and look back at the times when Indian cricket has called Ravi.
2007 – World Cup. Two words which are enough to give Indians a moment to grief, but Ravi was the one who was called to be the team manager for the tour right after the disastrous tournament.
2014 – India tour of England. Dhoni’s men lose the Test series 3-1. Shastri is called up to be the Director of Cricket for Indian team. And he delivers as the team returns with a 3-1 ODI series win in England.
But, that’s just what Shastri’s CV will read. However, there is more to it than just turn-around. It’s his ability to make people believe. It’s his ability to stand up and weather the storm. It’s his voice that instils emotions in a person, something which has helped him become one of the most celebrated commentators.
Just what the doctor ordered ?
Ravi Shastri appreciating the players after the series winpic.twitter.com/TU9t9kWhqv
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) January 19, 2021
The player, Ravi Shastri didn’t know anything other than fighting. He was a team man. Not a lot of people know that Ravi is one of the very few players who has batted at every position from opening to no.10. You tell him to bowl tireless overs, he will do that. You tell him to open the batting in overseas conditions, he will do.
There is nothing that Shastri didn’t do for his team. His attitude towards the sport, approach in a tough situation is something which has seemed to have rubbed on the players during this Australian tour. He was the man who started building this team with Kohli, Rahane, Pujara and everyone else, after a 2-0 series loss in Australia in 2014-15. Except for that one year, when Anil Kumble was the coach, Shastri has been there for almost everything.
If we are going to give credit to the players, selectors, trainers, physio, support staff, we need to start with Ravi Shastri. He has marshalled the troops to the fortress, conquered it and returned home with heads high. It was high time that Indian cricket had a coach from India, who instilled the belief and fearlessness in the team and let’s take this moment to honour Ravi Shastri.
