Former Team India’s head coach Ravi Shastri stated that there were many people who opposed him to get the national head coach role. Shastri was replaced after Anil Kumble, who departed in 2017 following a noticeable dispute with Indian skipper Virat Kohli. Shastri has been re-appointed as India’s head coach in 2019.
His stint officially ended as Team India had to depart early from the 2021 T20 World Cup which was held in Oman and the UAE. Virat Kohli and Co. were unable to go above the Super 12 stage – Shastri also stated that many individuals were opposed to Bharat Arun’s choice as India’s bowling coach.
Indian cricket was not in good shape again after back-to-back overseas losses: Shastri
In a recent interview, Shastri said – “Yes. They didn’t want to give me Bharat Arun either as the bowling coach. And looking at how things pan out – the very guy they didn’t want as the bowling coach went on to become the finest this country has ever had“.
“And I’m not pointing any fingers at people in general. Specific people. I must say an attempt was made to ensure I don’t get the job. But such is life,” Shastri was quoted as saying in an exclusive interview.
Team India has built one of the most destructive pace combinations in international cricket under Arun. Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, and Mohammed Shami all have helped India succeed not just at home, as well as in difficult international conditions.
Previously, Shastri felt he wasn’t the appropriate candidate for the position, particularly at a time when Indian cricket was in a downturn owing to a lack of significant results on foreign soil.
“In many ways, I thought, I was a mistake doing this job because I wasn’t cut out to do this. It was destiny. Indian cricket was not in good shape again after back-to-back overseas losses between 2012 and 2014. They were languishing back of the table across formats,” Shastri added.
Team India has not won a single ICC title during Shastri’s stint but as a team, they were successful to be at the top of the ICC Test Rankings and won many bilateral series.
