Ravi Shastri upset: Days after finishing his tenure as Team India coach, Ravi Shastri has said that he is both upset and relieved after 7 years of journey with the Indian Cricket Team. He also took a dig at his critics saying that the tables have turned and he is ready to hit back at some of those people. He had already hinted at his return to the commentary role. Follow Indian Cricket Team live updates on InsideSport
Ravi Shastri upset: Upset & relieved Ravi Shastri says, ‘It’s time for now me to judge others’
“I am very relieved, I took this job to make a difference. For the team to have achieved what they have today is unreal. I leave this place as a very satisfied man. They were not playing cricket as I wanted them to, they have over-achieved,” Ravi Shastri told Republic TV.
Talking about the pressure faced by the team over the years, Shastri said, “I was judged for 7 years of my life that was under public scrutiny. Time for me to sit on the judge’s chair and judge some of these people,” he added.
In his interview, Shastri stated that he is satisfied with his stint as Team India coach but cited being upset with the amount of expectations and staying under scrutiny for a few losses despite winning numerous trophies for the country.
“In India, Cricket is a religion. You win 5 games and then when you lose, pistols and pens come out, and sometimes it’s acidic. You just got to take it on the chin. We won so much, people weren’t used to us losing,” he further stated.
Slamming the criticism on the young team, he said, “This was a young team in transition over the last 7 years. Many in the media didn’t know the potential of this team. I said that this was the greatest team and knew what I said and they lived up to it. They (media) called my statements bold and bombastic. I have taken the bullet for 7 years”.
Notably, Shastri was appointed as Indian head coach in 2017 and was re-appointed in 2019 with his contract extending up to the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup.
India’s achievements under Ravi Shastri:
* ODI World Cup semi-final (2019): India were the best team in the group stages of the 2019 ICC World Cup and had topped the points table. However, the Men in Blue faced a heartbreaking defeat against New Zealand in the semi-final to bow out of the tournament.
* With the duo of Kohli and Shastri calling the shots, India took a 2-1 lead in the five-match series against England earlier this year before the rubber was suspended due to a COVID outbreak in the Indian camp.
* Under Shastri’s watch, India won the T20I series in SENA countries South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia.
* Shastri also oversaw a 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka in 2017, the first time they achieved such a feat.
* India also inflicted a whitewash on the West Indies in a Test series in the Caribbean for the first time.
* During their time, India formed a potent pace bowling unit that shone in all conditions and against the best in the world.
* 42 months at the top of Test ranking: Under coach Shastri and skipper Kohli, the Indian team became a force to reckon with in Test cricket, holding on to the number one ranking in the world for 42 months from 2016 to 2020.
Ravi Shastri upset: Upset & relieved Ravi Shastri says, ‘It’s time for now me to judge others’
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