Ravi Shastri has opened up on varied topics over his tenure as Indian coach and India’s early exit in the T20 World Cup.
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Team India’s world-cup exit has been criticized heavily by fans and cricket experts. Virat Kohli’s lead side couldn’t make it to the knockouts, despite being the title favourites. The team was full of superstar players, but they couldn’t play according to their potential. Many of the experts have been blaming IPL fatigue as one of the reasons. It is worth noting that there was just a three-day gap between IPL final and India’s first T20 WC warm-up game.
Ravi Shastri, former Indian head coach has expressed his views on the same. He also buys the fact that ideally there should have been some gap between IPL and T20 World Cup.
“These guys are physically and mentally drained, six months in a bubble and we would have ideally liked a bigger gap between the IPL and the World Cup,” Shastri said.
“It’s when the big games come and when the pressure hits you – you are not that switched on as you should be. And it’s not an excuse. We take defeat because we are not scared of losing. Because in trying to win, you will lose a game.”
However, he clearly denied those allegations where people said that players are preferring IPL over country duties.
“If your mind is not there when playing for the country… which fool would value that (playing for the franchise) over playing for the country,” Shastri said.
“You are lucky to be one of the 11 in a country of 1.4 billion people representing your country. So that’s all far-fetched, whoever says all that I have no time.”
Ravi Shastri on having any regrets in his tenure
Team India performed well in the bilateral series around the world, but there was no ICC trophy under Shastri. However, Shastri refused to have any regrets over his tenure.
“No regrets, when you’ve had a journey over five years the way I have had and the team has had and when they have been overachievers,” Shastri said.
“Back-to-back wins in Australia after almost 70 years is something that was unimaginable. Makes it extremely special. And of course, leading the series in England,”
Team India will start their new era under Rahul Dravid on 17th November against New Zealand in Jaipur.
