<p>India are set to tour South Africa where they will play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The tour opener will commence on December 26 with the first Test scheduled to take place in Centurion. The No. 1 ranked Indian Test side have a huge opportunity to win their first-ever series in South Africa. On the other hand, Kohli will also be eager to win another series overseas, after the highs in Australia and England.</p>

<p>Back in early 2018, Kohli-led India had toured South Africa for three Tests, six ODIs and three T20Is. At that time, India had their chances in the first two Tests but ended on the losing side before finishing the series with a consolation win. While India did compete really well, many slammed the then team management for their poor selection calls. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane was dropped for the first two Tests as Rohit Sharma was preferred in the middle-order. The move didn't pay rich dividends as Hitman amassed 78 runs in four innings, at 19.50.</p>

<p>Rahane was added to the playing XI for the third and final Test at Johannesburg, where his vital 48 in the second innings helped India win the Test by 63 runs. Ex-Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has now opened up on why Rahane wasn't preferred over Rohit.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-had-the-character-game-and-personality-to-step-into-ms-dhonis-shoes-says-ravi-shastri-435772"><strong>Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri</strong></a></p>

<p>Speaking to&nbsp;<em>Times Of India</em>, Shastri said, "It was always going to be between Rohit &amp; Ajinkya. There was no space for both. Rohit had got runs and we had been watching Test hunger build in him. So, we went by form. That's why Ajinkya didn't find a place."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/have-to-prepare-for-103-situations-rohit-sharma-sets-sight-on-middle-order-to-end-indias-icc-title-drought-435813"><strong>Have to prepare for 10/3 situations: Rohit Sharma sets sight on middle-order to end India's ICC-title drought</strong></a></p>

<p>On Wednesday (December 8), BCCI named Rohit as Kohli's deputy in whites, replacing Rahane. For the unversed, Rohit has raised his stature as a Test batsman whereas Rahane has only two fifty-plus scores since his last ton, which came in late 2020.</p>

<p>It will be interesting to see how Rahul Dravid-Kohli strategise and take India ahead in the forthcoming three Tests versus Dean Elgar-led Proteas in the African nation.</p>


India are set to tour South Africa where they will play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The tour opener will commence on December 26 with the first Test scheduled to take place in Centurion.

India are set to tour South Africa where they will play three Tests and equal number of ODIs. The tour opener will commence on December 26 with the first Test scheduled to take place in Centurion. The No. 1 ranked Indian Test side have a huge opportunity to win their first-ever series in South Africa. On the other hand, Kohli will also be eager to win another series overseas, after the highs in Australia and England. Back in early 2018, Kohli-led India had toured South Africa for three Tests, six ODIs and three T20Is. At that time, India had their chances in the first two Tests but ended on the losing side before finishing the series with a consolation win. While India did compete really well, many slammed the then team management for their poor selection calls. Vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane was dropped for the first two Tests as Rohit Sharma was preferred in the middle-order. The move didn't pay rich dividends as Hitman amassed 78 runs in four innings, at 19.50. Rahane was added to the playing XI for the third and final Test at Johannesburg, where his vital 48 in the second innings helped India win the Test by 63 runs. Ex-Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has now opened up on why Rahane wasn't preferred over Rohit. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri Speaking to Times Of India, Shastri said, "It was always going to be between Rohit & Ajinkya. There was no space for both. Rohit had got runs and we had been watching Test hunger build in him. So, we went by form. That's why Ajinkya didn't find a place." ALSO READ | Have to prepare for 10/3 situations: Rohit Sharma sets sight on middle-order to end India's ICC-title drought On Wednesday (December 8), BCCI named Rohit as Kohli's deputy in whites, replacing Rahane. For the unversed, Rohit has raised his stature as a Test batsman whereas Rahane has only two fifty-plus scores since his last ton, which came in late 2020. It will be interesting to see how Rahul Dravid-Kohli strategise and take India ahead in the forthcoming three Tests versus Dean Elgar-led Proteas in the African nation.

Ravi Shastri reveals why Ajinkya Rahane wasn't preferred over Rohit Sharma during 2018 SA tour

<p>Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has made some startling revelations regarding Team India's squad selection for the 2019 ODI World Cup. Many were left shocked at the time after Ambati Rayudu, who was India's designated number 4. batter in the build-up to the World Cup, was surprisingly left out of the squad with all-rounder Vijay Shankar making the cut.</p>

<p>Shastri has revealed he wanted Rayudu or Shreyas Iyer in the squad as the no.4 batter while questioning the bizarre selection of three wicket-keepers in the team. While Shankar was selected over Rayudu, an injury to opener Shikhar Dhawan saw India rope in Rishabh Pant as a replacement when there were already two wicket-keeper batters in the team - MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik.</p>

<p>Skipper Virat Kohli had openly admitted in the run-up to the 2019 World Cup that Rayudu will be India's no.4 batter in the showpiece event, however, the senior batted was snubbed by the national selectors. Opening up on India's bizarre team selection for the 2019 ODI World Cup, Shastri insisted he has no say in the decision-making and said there was no logic behind having three wicket-keepers in the squad.</p>

<p>“I had no say in that (team selection). But I wasn’t okay with three wicketkeepers being picked for the World Cup. Either Ambati or Shreyas could’ve come in. What was the logic in having MS Dhoni, Rishabh [Pant] and Dinesh [Karthik] all together?” - Shastri was quoted as saying in an interview by Times of India.</p>

<p>“But I never interfered with the selectors’ work, except when I was asked for feedback or as part of a general discussion,” he added.</p>

<p>India played phenomenally well in the 2019 ODI World Cup where they topped the points table in the group stages with only one defeat and seven wins in nine games as one match ended in a no-result. However, their campaign came to an end after an 18-run defeat against New Zealand in the all-important semi-final.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/that-guy-has-70-hundreds-former-pakistan-skipper-slams-bcci-for-sacking-virat-kohli-as-odi-captain-435764">'That guy has 70 hundreds': Former Pakistan skipper slams BCCI for sacking Virat Kohli as ODI captain</a></p>

<p>Asked to chase down a target of 240 runs at Old Trafford in Manchester, the Indian batting line-up succumbed under pressure. The top-order collapsed leaving the team reeling on 24/4 before half-centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni kept India in the game. However, the duo failed to take the team over the line.</p>

<p>India played three major ICC tournaments under Shastri but failed to win a trophy. They reached the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup before losing in the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship this year. In the T20 World Cup 2021, India failed to make it to the knockout stages.</p>


Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has made some startling revelations regarding Team India's squad selection for the 2019 ODI World Cup. Many were left shocked at the time after Ambati Rayudu, who was India's designated number 4.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has made some startling revelations regarding Team India's squad selection for the 2019 ODI World Cup. Many were left shocked at the time after Ambati Rayudu, who was India's designated number 4. batter in the build-up to the World Cup, was surprisingly left out of the squad with all-rounder Vijay Shankar making the cut. Shastri has revealed he wanted Rayudu or Shreyas Iyer in the squad as the no.4 batter while questioning the bizarre selection of three wicket-keepers in the team. While Shankar was selected over Rayudu, an injury to opener Shikhar Dhawan saw India rope in Rishabh Pant as a replacement when there were already two wicket-keeper batters in the team - MS Dhoni and Dinesh Karthik. Skipper Virat Kohli had openly admitted in the run-up to the 2019 World Cup that Rayudu will be India's no.4 batter in the showpiece event, however, the senior batted was snubbed by the national selectors. Opening up on India's bizarre team selection for the 2019 ODI World Cup, Shastri insisted he has no say in the decision-making and said there was no logic behind having three wicket-keepers in the squad. “I had no say in that (team selection). But I wasn’t okay with three wicketkeepers being picked for the World Cup. Either Ambati or Shreyas could’ve come in. What was the logic in having MS Dhoni, Rishabh [Pant] and Dinesh [Karthik] all together?” - Shastri was quoted as saying in an interview by Times of India. “But I never interfered with the selectors’ work, except when I was asked for feedback or as part of a general discussion,” he added. India played phenomenally well in the 2019 ODI World Cup where they topped the points table in the group stages with only one defeat and seven wins in nine games as one match ended in a no-result. However, their campaign came to an end after an 18-run defeat against New Zealand in the all-important semi-final. Also Read: 'That guy has 70 hundreds': Former Pakistan skipper slams BCCI for sacking Virat Kohli as ODI captain Asked to chase down a target of 240 runs at Old Trafford in Manchester, the Indian batting line-up succumbed under pressure. The top-order collapsed leaving the team reeling on 24/4 before half-centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni kept India in the game. However, the duo failed to take the team over the line. India played three major ICC tournaments under Shastri but failed to win a trophy. They reached the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup before losing in the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship this year. In the T20 World Cup 2021, India failed to make it to the knockout stages.

Rayudu or Iyer could've come in, there was no logic behind having 3 keepers in 2019 WC squad: Ravi Shastri

<p>Indian cricket has seen rapid changes being made in the senior men's team following the T20 World Cup edition, in the UAE. Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach ended as Rahul Dravid replaced him from the top post. While Virat Kohli had already announced his resignation as T20I captain post the World Cup, Rohit not only replaced him in the shortest format but BCCI also named Hitman as the ODI skipper on Wednesday (December 8). Hence, Team India is slowly and steadily settling into the Dravid-Rohit era.</p>

<p>Recently, former coach Ravi Shastri stated that he felt Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes as the Indian captain. Shastri worked closely with Kohli after serving as Team India's director from 2014-16. In mid-2017, the former Indian all-rounder succeeded Anil Kumble to become the head coach and former a strong pair with Captain Kohli across formats till the 2021 T20 WC.</p>

<p>"Barring interviews on television (with players), I knew nobody (joining as team director in 2014) except probably MS Dhoni because I had worked with him in 2007. There was nobody from my generation, there was nobody from the immediate generation after me. For instance, I had a connect with players of the previous decade - Sachin, Rahul, Sourav, Anil. That generation was gone. So, once I came on board, my first challenge was to identify someone who could walk the talk and I found in Virat Kohli the guy with the character, game and personality to step into Dhoni's shoes," Shastri said in an interview with the&nbsp;<em>Times of India.</em></p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/some-in-bcci-made-sure-i-dont-get-the-job-ex-india-head-coach-ravi-shastri-makes-glaring-remark-435719"><strong>'Some in BCCI made sure I don't get the job': Ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri makes glaring remark</strong></a></p>

<p>He further asserted, "Virat was reeling from that tour of England (where he amassed 134 runs in 5 Tests in England) because he hardly got runs. He was in a state of shock the way things had panned out. But you could see there was still enough there to get him going. Once he was back on his feet, there would be no looking back.</p>

<p>"I began watching him very closely. The more closely I saw him, I could see his sense of confidence returning back with each day. Those initial two-three months went in getting to know the team better. We began talking a lot, on various issues - batting techniques, the path forward, lot of things. And I think, it really came to the surface in Australia, when he finally bought into everything we discussed. He was absolutely ready to walk that talk - not just in the way he played his game but the way we wanted the team to play."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hes-still-a-leader-of-the-team-indias-newly-appointed-limited-overs-captain-rohit-sharma-opines-on-virat-kohli-435550"><strong>He's still a leader of the team: India's newly-appointed limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma opines on Virat Kohli</strong></a></p>

<p>Kohli-Shastri formed a deadly captain-coach pair for Team India. Under the duo, India won Test series in Australia (twice), earned an unassailable 2-1 lead in the England Tests in the United Kingdom early this year, won bilateral ODI series in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, won T20I series in SENA countries, played the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and ended as the runners-up of the inaugural WTC. Nonetheless, they couldn't take India to an ICC title during their partnership.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, the onus is on Dravid-Rohit to take India to greater heights in limited-overs. However, Kohli remains the Test captain and will look to lead India to their first-ever series win on South African soil in the upcoming tour of the African nation, starting from December 26.</p>


Indian cricket has seen rapid changes being made in the senior men's team following the T20 World Cup edition, in the UAE. Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach ended as Rahul Dravid replaced him from the top post.

Indian cricket has seen rapid changes being made in the senior men's team following the T20 World Cup edition, in the UAE. Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach ended as Rahul Dravid replaced him from the top post. While Virat Kohli had already announced his resignation as T20I captain post the World Cup, Rohit not only replaced him in the shortest format but BCCI also named Hitman as the ODI skipper on Wednesday (December 8). Hence, Team India is slowly and steadily settling into the Dravid-Rohit era. Recently, former coach Ravi Shastri stated that he felt Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes as the Indian captain. Shastri worked closely with Kohli after serving as Team India's director from 2014-16. In mid-2017, the former Indian all-rounder succeeded Anil Kumble to become the head coach and former a strong pair with Captain Kohli across formats till the 2021 T20 WC. "Barring interviews on television (with players), I knew nobody (joining as team director in 2014) except probably MS Dhoni because I had worked with him in 2007. There was nobody from my generation, there was nobody from the immediate generation after me. For instance, I had a connect with players of the previous decade - Sachin, Rahul, Sourav, Anil. That generation was gone. So, once I came on board, my first challenge was to identify someone who could walk the talk and I found in Virat Kohli the guy with the character, game and personality to step into Dhoni's shoes," Shastri said in an interview with the Times of India. ALSO READ | 'Some in BCCI made sure I don't get the job': Ex-India head coach Ravi Shastri makes glaring remark He further asserted, "Virat was reeling from that tour of England (where he amassed 134 runs in 5 Tests in England) because he hardly got runs. He was in a state of shock the way things had panned out. But you could see there was still enough there to get him going. Once he was back on his feet, there would be no looking back. "I began watching him very closely. The more closely I saw him, I could see his sense of confidence returning back with each day. Those initial two-three months went in getting to know the team better. We began talking a lot, on various issues - batting techniques, the path forward, lot of things. And I think, it really came to the surface in Australia, when he finally bought into everything we discussed. He was absolutely ready to walk that talk - not just in the way he played his game but the way we wanted the team to play." ALSO READ | He's still a leader of the team: India's newly-appointed limited-overs captain Rohit Sharma opines on Virat Kohli Kohli-Shastri formed a deadly captain-coach pair for Team India. Under the duo, India won Test series in Australia (twice), earned an unassailable 2-1 lead in the England Tests in the United Kingdom early this year, won bilateral ODI series in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, won T20I series in SENA countries, played the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and ended as the runners-up of the inaugural WTC. Nonetheless, they couldn't take India to an ICC title during their partnership. Now, the onus is on Dravid-Rohit to take India to greater heights in limited-overs. However, Kohli remains the Test captain and will look to lead India to their first-ever series win on South African soil in the upcoming tour of the African nation, starting from December 26.

Virat Kohli had the character, game and personality to step into MS Dhoni's shoes, says Ravi Shastri

<p>Team India got a new ODI captain in the form of Rohit Sharma on Wednesday evening (December 8). The BCCI made the official announcement as there were speculations that Virat Kohli was on the verge of losing ODI captaincy after stepping down as the T20I captain recently.</p>

<p>As per reports, Kohli was given a 48-hours deadline by the BCCI to officially announce him stepping down as the ODI captain. However, the the Indian cricket board went ahead with the decision to name Rohit as Kohli's successor in ODIs after the 33-year-old remained mum and didn't officially step aside. While speculations are rife, Indian cricket is heading into a new era under Rohit Sharma in the shorter formats.</p>

<p>Ravi Shastri, who served as India's team director from 2014-2016 and then as head coach from mid-2017 to late 2021, opened up on Captain Rohit and also spoke highly of both 'superstars' Kohli and Hitman.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/thats-something-that-he-will-be-able-rohit-sharma-opines-on-team-india-head-coach-rahul-dravid-435510">'That's something that he will be able...' - Rohit Sharma opines on Team India head coach Rahul Dravid</a></strong></p>

<p>"Rohit is not overawed; he always does what is best for the team. He marshalls all the resources of the team unlike, let's say, in football," Shastri told The Week in an interview.</p>

<p>He added, "In 2014, when I first came in, there was only one big player – MS Dhoni. Who else was there? Who was superstar material? Virat, and maybe Rohit Sharma, in white-ball cricket. To see these two guys come through and become great players in red- and white-ball cricket, to have a great fast-bowling attack, to beat Australia in their backyard – there have been so many firsts with this team. It is overwhelming."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/throwback-when-virat-kohli-had-seen-a-future-team-india-captain-in-rohit-sharma-435458"><strong>Throwback: When Virat Kohli had seen a future Team India captain in Rohit Sharma</strong></a></p>

<p>Rohit Sharma will now lead Team India in ODIs and T20Is whereas he has also been promoted as the vice-captain in Tests. Kohli, on the other hand, remains in-charge of the Test side but has been relived of leadership duties in the limited-overs format.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At present, India is gearing up to tour South Africa where they will play three Tests and ODIs each. The tour opener will commence on December 26.</p>


Team India got a new ODI captain in the form of Rohit Sharma on Wednesday evening (December 8). The BCCI made the official announcement as there were speculations that Virat Kohli was on the verge of losing ODI captaincy after stepping down as the T20I captain recently.

Team India got a new ODI captain in the form of Rohit Sharma on Wednesday evening (December 8). The BCCI made the official announcement as there were speculations that Virat Kohli was on the verge of losing ODI captaincy after stepping down as the T20I captain recently. As per reports, Kohli was given a 48-hours deadline by the BCCI to officially announce him stepping down as the ODI captain. However, the the Indian cricket board went ahead with the decision to name Rohit as Kohli's successor in ODIs after the 33-year-old remained mum and didn't officially step aside. While speculations are rife, Indian cricket is heading into a new era under Rohit Sharma in the shorter formats. Ravi Shastri, who served as India's team director from 2014-2016 and then as head coach from mid-2017 to late 2021, opened up on Captain Rohit and also spoke highly of both 'superstars' Kohli and Hitman. ALSO READ | 'That's something that he will be able...' - Rohit Sharma opines on Team India head coach Rahul Dravid "Rohit is not overawed; he always does what is best for the team. He marshalls all the resources of the team unlike, let's say, in football," Shastri told The Week in an interview. He added, "In 2014, when I first came in, there was only one big player – MS Dhoni. Who else was there? Who was superstar material? Virat, and maybe Rohit Sharma, in white-ball cricket. To see these two guys come through and become great players in red- and white-ball cricket, to have a great fast-bowling attack, to beat Australia in their backyard – there have been so many firsts with this team. It is overwhelming." ALSO READ | Throwback: When Virat Kohli had seen a future Team India captain in Rohit Sharma Rohit Sharma will now lead Team India in ODIs and T20Is whereas he has also been promoted as the vice-captain in Tests. Kohli, on the other hand, remains in-charge of the Test side but has been relived of leadership duties in the limited-overs format. At present, India is gearing up to tour South Africa where they will play three Tests and ODIs each. The tour opener will commence on December 26.

'He is not overawed' - Ravi Shastri gives his take on Captain Rohit Sharma as Hitman succeeds Virat Kohli

<p>Former India head coach Ravi Shastri said the Indian team was in 'shock for days' after getting all out for 36 runs in the second innings of the first Test against Australia in Adelaide last year. Shastri revealed it was the lowest point of his stint as the head coach of the Indian team and the players couldn't believe what had happened.</p>

<p>India were bundled out for a record low total of 36 runs in the second innings of the Adelaide Test and suffered a humiliating defeat by 8 wickets to get off to a losing start in the four-match series against the Aussies. The defeat had crushed India's morale but the visitors bounced back strongly to clinch the series 2-1 and create history by winning back-to-back Test series in Australia.</p>

<p>"See, the coach is in the firing line; there is no choice. That is the quirk of the job. You have to be ready from day one. I knew there would be no escape routes. The 36 all out was the lowest point," Shastri told The Week.</p>

<p>"We had nine wickets in hand (overnight) and then we were bundled out for 36. All that had to be done was score to 80-odd more runs (to be in the game). We were all numb. We were in a state of shock for days. How could that have happened?," he added.</p>

<p>Batting first in the Adelaide Test, India put on 244 runs on the board in their first innings before restricting Australia on 194 to gain a lead of 50 runs. The visitors ended Day 2 on 9/1 in their second innings but what unfolded on Day 3 was nothing less than extraordinary as India's batting line-up crumbled under pressure.</p>

<p>Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ran through the Indian batting line-up, picking up nine wickets between them to bowl out the visitors for a mere 36. Australia chased down the target comfortably and won the game by 8 wickets. Despite captain Virat Kohli returning home on paternity leave post the first Test, India bounced back to win the series.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-worships-test-cricket-indian-team-has-been-an-ambassador-for-the-longest-format-ravi-shastri-434681">Virat Kohli worships Test cricket, Indian team has been an ambassador for the longest format: Ravi Shastri</a></p>

<p>Shastri said it was an unbelievable effort from the Indian players to win stage a remarkable comeback in the series and clinch the four-match rubber 2-1 after the humiliating loss in Adelaide.</p>

<p>"It was not just me. I would be the first to put my hand up and say I was the one responsible, take the brickbats; there is no place to hide. I told the boys to focus on what they could do. The boys were unbelievable. One month after that 36 all out, on January 19, we had won the series. I am still thinking, how did that happen? I promise, as long as I live, people will talk about that series win," said Shastri.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Former India head coach Ravi Shastri said the Indian team was in 'shock for days' after getting all out for 36 runs in the second innings of the first Test against Australia in Adelaide last year.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri said the Indian team was in 'shock for days' after getting all out for 36 runs in the second innings of the first Test against Australia in Adelaide last year. Shastri revealed it was the lowest point of his stint as the head coach of the Indian team and the players couldn't believe what had happened. India were bundled out for a record low total of 36 runs in the second innings of the Adelaide Test and suffered a humiliating defeat by 8 wickets to get off to a losing start in the four-match series against the Aussies. The defeat had crushed India's morale but the visitors bounced back strongly to clinch the series 2-1 and create history by winning back-to-back Test series in Australia. "See, the coach is in the firing line; there is no choice. That is the quirk of the job. You have to be ready from day one. I knew there would be no escape routes. The 36 all out was the lowest point," Shastri told The Week. "We had nine wickets in hand (overnight) and then we were bundled out for 36. All that had to be done was score to 80-odd more runs (to be in the game). We were all numb. We were in a state of shock for days. How could that have happened?," he added. Batting first in the Adelaide Test, India put on 244 runs on the board in their first innings before restricting Australia on 194 to gain a lead of 50 runs. The visitors ended Day 2 on 9/1 in their second innings but what unfolded on Day 3 was nothing less than extraordinary as India's batting line-up crumbled under pressure. Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins ran through the Indian batting line-up, picking up nine wickets between them to bowl out the visitors for a mere 36. Australia chased down the target comfortably and won the game by 8 wickets. Despite captain Virat Kohli returning home on paternity leave post the first Test, India bounced back to win the series. Also Read: Virat Kohli worships Test cricket, Indian team has been an ambassador for the longest format: Ravi Shastri Shastri said it was an unbelievable effort from the Indian players to win stage a remarkable comeback in the series and clinch the four-match rubber 2-1 after the humiliating loss in Adelaide. "It was not just me. I would be the first to put my hand up and say I was the one responsible, take the brickbats; there is no place to hide. I told the boys to focus on what they could do. The boys were unbelievable. One month after that 36 all out, on January 19, we had won the series. I am still thinking, how did that happen? I promise, as long as I live, people will talk about that series win," said Shastri.

'We were in a state of shock for days': Ravi Shastri reveals lowest point for him as India head coach

<p>India thrashed New Zealand by 372 runs (their biggest win in terms of runs) to win the second and final Test, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Monday morning (December 6). After setting a daunting 540-run target, Virat Kohli-led India needed 5 more wickets to win the Test match when the fourth day's play resumed on Monday. It took the hosts less than a session to topple the Kiwis and win the series 1-0.</p>

<p>Thus, this became India's first-ever Test series win under new coach Rahul Dravid. His predecessor Ravi Shastri, and his outgoing support staff members such as bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar, did a splendid job in making India a daunting line-up both at home and away in Tests. The previous support staff members also guided India to wholesome success in white-ball formats. Hence, Dravid and his support staff are expected to deliver in same lines and take the national side to ICC titles as well.</p>

<p>Ending his first-ever series as full-time head coach, Dravid would be pleased on how India thrashed the Black Caps to win the Test series 1-0 (after whitewashing the visitors in the three T20Is). Forming a new partnership with Indian great Dravid, India's Test and ODI skipper Kohli opined on the new set of support staff and told at the post-match presentation, "The mindset is the same to take Indian cricket forward, even with the new management. It's important to keep the standards of Indian cricket and make sure it's always growing."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/india-vs-new-zealand-2nd-test-virat-kohli-and-co-beat-kiwis-by-372-runs-to-win-test-series-1-0-434467">India vs New Zealand, 2nd Test: Virat Kohli and Co beat Kiwis by 372 runs to win test series 1-0</a></strong></p>

<p>India also moved to the top spot in ICC Test rankings following their domination of the Kiwis in the Mumbai Test. Kohli-led India will now travel to South Africa for three Tests and equal number of ODIs, starting from December 26.</p>

<p>Kohli-Dravid pair will be eager to lead India to their first-ever Test series win in the African nation. In their 2018 tour, Kohli-Shastri-led India had come close but lost the Test series to hosts South Africa 2-1.</p>


India thrashed New Zealand by 372 runs (their biggest win in terms of runs) to win the second and final Test, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Monday morning (December 6).

India thrashed New Zealand by 372 runs (their biggest win in terms of runs) to win the second and final Test, at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Monday morning (December 6). After setting a daunting 540-run target, Virat Kohli-led India needed 5 more wickets to win the Test match when the fourth day's play resumed on Monday. It took the hosts less than a session to topple the Kiwis and win the series 1-0. Thus, this became India's first-ever Test series win under new coach Rahul Dravid. His predecessor Ravi Shastri, and his outgoing support staff members such as bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar, did a splendid job in making India a daunting line-up both at home and away in Tests. The previous support staff members also guided India to wholesome success in white-ball formats. Hence, Dravid and his support staff are expected to deliver in same lines and take the national side to ICC titles as well. Ending his first-ever series as full-time head coach, Dravid would be pleased on how India thrashed the Black Caps to win the Test series 1-0 (after whitewashing the visitors in the three T20Is). Forming a new partnership with Indian great Dravid, India's Test and ODI skipper Kohli opined on the new set of support staff and told at the post-match presentation, "The mindset is the same to take Indian cricket forward, even with the new management. It's important to keep the standards of Indian cricket and make sure it's always growing." ALSO READ | India vs New Zealand, 2nd Test: Virat Kohli and Co beat Kiwis by 372 runs to win test series 1-0 India also moved to the top spot in ICC Test rankings following their domination of the Kiwis in the Mumbai Test. Kohli-led India will now travel to South Africa for three Tests and equal number of ODIs, starting from December 26. Kohli-Dravid pair will be eager to lead India to their first-ever Test series win in the African nation. In their 2018 tour, Kohli-Shastri-led India had come close but lost the Test series to hosts South Africa 2-1.

Virat Kohli opines on Rahul Dravid-led support staff taking over from Shastri & Co. after NZ series win

<p>Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has lauded the Virat Kohli-led team for being the 'ambassador' of Test cricket and excelling in the longest format over the last few years. Many believe Test cricket is losing its sheen amid the rise of shorter formats like T20 and T10 cricket. However, the Indian team has embraced Test cricket and has been a force to reckon with when it comes to playing in whites.</p>

<p>India defeated New Zealand by a huge margin of 372 runs in the second Test between the two sides on Monday to clinch the two-match series 1-0. With the win, India went on top of the ICC Test rankings dethroning New Zealand from the no.1 spot.</p>

<p>It will be the fifth straight year when the Indian team will be finishing&nbsp;as the no.1 ranked side in Tests under Kohli's captaincy and Shastri credited the players' love for the longest format as the reason behind India's dominance in Test cricket. The former India head coach also highlighted how captain Kohli worships Test cricket.</p>

<p>"I think if any team has been an ambassador for Test match over the last five years, it is this Indian cricket team. Virat worships Test match cricket, as do most of the team, which might surprise the world because of the amount of one-day cricket India plays, then IPL," Shastri&nbsp;told renowned author Jeffrey Archer on his podcast.</p>

<p>"If you ask anyone in the team, 99 percent of them would say they love Test match cricket. That’s why, what India have done in the last five years remain as the No. 1 team in the world at the end of every year," he added.</p>

<p>India have dominated the proceedings in Test cricket over the last few years with some memorable series wins at home and away from home including back-to-back series wins in Australia. India also reached the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) but lost against New Zealand to miss out on the trophy.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-creates-history-becomes-1st-player-to-win-50-international-matches-across-all-formats-434603">Virat Kohli creates history, becomes 1st player to win 50 international matches across all formats</a></p>

<p>Nonetheless, Kohli &amp; Co. have been one of the best Test teams in the world in the last few years. Shastri said the greatest legacy that the current generation of Indian players will leave is the way they have embraced and played Test cricket.</p>

<p>"We may have lost the one-off WTC final against New Zealand but otherwise We have dominated the format for the last five years. To win two series in Australia, to win the series that was taking place in England, to win everywhere around the world white-ball and red-ball cricket, and to set a benchmark in red-ball cricket, the fast bowlers coming to the fore unheard of from the Indian cricket team it was remarkable," Shastri said.</p>

<p>"For me the greatest legacy this generation and this lot of players will leave is the way they have played Test cricket and embraced it," he added.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has lauded the Virat Kohli-led team for being the 'ambassador' of Test cricket and excelling in the longest format over the last few years.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has lauded the Virat Kohli-led team for being the 'ambassador' of Test cricket and excelling in the longest format over the last few years. Many believe Test cricket is losing its sheen amid the rise of shorter formats like T20 and T10 cricket. However, the Indian team has embraced Test cricket and has been a force to reckon with when it comes to playing in whites. India defeated New Zealand by a huge margin of 372 runs in the second Test between the two sides on Monday to clinch the two-match series 1-0. With the win, India went on top of the ICC Test rankings dethroning New Zealand from the no.1 spot. It will be the fifth straight year when the Indian team will be finishing as the no.1 ranked side in Tests under Kohli's captaincy and Shastri credited the players' love for the longest format as the reason behind India's dominance in Test cricket. The former India head coach also highlighted how captain Kohli worships Test cricket. "I think if any team has been an ambassador for Test match over the last five years, it is this Indian cricket team. Virat worships Test match cricket, as do most of the team, which might surprise the world because of the amount of one-day cricket India plays, then IPL," Shastri told renowned author Jeffrey Archer on his podcast. "If you ask anyone in the team, 99 percent of them would say they love Test match cricket. That’s why, what India have done in the last five years remain as the No. 1 team in the world at the end of every year," he added. India have dominated the proceedings in Test cricket over the last few years with some memorable series wins at home and away from home including back-to-back series wins in Australia. India also reached the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) but lost against New Zealand to miss out on the trophy. Also Read: Virat Kohli creates history, becomes 1st player to win 50 international matches across all formats Nonetheless, Kohli & Co. have been one of the best Test teams in the world in the last few years. Shastri said the greatest legacy that the current generation of Indian players will leave is the way they have embraced and played Test cricket. "We may have lost the one-off WTC final against New Zealand but otherwise We have dominated the format for the last five years. To win two series in Australia, to win the series that was taking place in England, to win everywhere around the world white-ball and red-ball cricket, and to set a benchmark in red-ball cricket, the fast bowlers coming to the fore unheard of from the Indian cricket team it was remarkable," Shastri said. "For me the greatest legacy this generation and this lot of players will leave is the way they have played Test cricket and embraced it," he added.

Virat Kohli worships Test cricket, Indian team has been an ambassador for the longest format: Ravi Shastri

<p>Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq who recently claimed that the Indian players 'were scared' and 'under pressure' even before the start of their game against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2021, has made yet another absurd statement. Inzamam believes the relations between captain Virat Kohli, head coach Ravi Shastri and the BCCI were not good during the T20 World Cup which led to India's poor show in the tournament.</p>

<p>India suffered a crushing defeat in their opening game of the Super 12 against arch-rivals Pakistan before losing their next game against New Zealand by eight wickets. The back-to-bac defeats pushed India on the back foot and confirmed their early exit from the tournament as the Men in Blue could only manage three wins in a total of five matches.&nbsp;</p>

<p>India's T20 setup has undergone massive changes since the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 as Shastri and Kohli have both stepped down from their respective posts of the head coach and captain. While Shastri has been replaced by Rahul Dravid as India's head coach across formats after the end of his contract, Kohli has been replaced by Rohit as the T20 captain of the team.</p>

<p>Inzamam said Kohli's announcement before the start of the tournament that he is leaving captaincy was not a good move. He also claimed that the relations were not good between Kohli, Shastri and the Indian cricket board as they knew Shastri was going to be replaced by Dravid after the tournament.</p>

<p>"I said this even before the match, that this statement of leaving captaincy after the tournament… it is not good. You have to play a big event and this shows that there is pressure on you and you are not comfortable. They all knew that after this tournament, Shastri was to get replaced by Dravid," Inzamam said on ARY News.</p>

<p>"This should not happen before a big event. Your authority gets challenged. And this means that relations between Kohli, Shastri and board were not great. If India were to win the T20 World Cup, would they have removed the captain and coach? There was some problem between them," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/indians-were-scared-under-pressure-even-before-the-pakistan-match-started-inzamam-ul-haq-432071">Indians were scared, under pressure even before the Pakistan match started: Inzamam-ul-Haq</a></p>

<p>India's campaign at the T20 World Cup got off to the worst possible start with their ten-wicket defeat against Pakistan before slipping to an eight-wicket loss against New Zealand. The back-to-back defeats meant India failed to recover and had to make an exit from the group stages.</p>


Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq who recently claimed that the Indian players 'were scared' and 'under pressure' even before the start of their game against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2021, has made yet another absurd statement.

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq who recently claimed that the Indian players 'were scared' and 'under pressure' even before the start of their game against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2021, has made yet another absurd statement. Inzamam believes the relations between captain Virat Kohli, head coach Ravi Shastri and the BCCI were not good during the T20 World Cup which led to India's poor show in the tournament. India suffered a crushing defeat in their opening game of the Super 12 against arch-rivals Pakistan before losing their next game against New Zealand by eight wickets. The back-to-bac defeats pushed India on the back foot and confirmed their early exit from the tournament as the Men in Blue could only manage three wins in a total of five matches. India's T20 setup has undergone massive changes since the conclusion of the T20 World Cup 2021 as Shastri and Kohli have both stepped down from their respective posts of the head coach and captain. While Shastri has been replaced by Rahul Dravid as India's head coach across formats after the end of his contract, Kohli has been replaced by Rohit as the T20 captain of the team. Inzamam said Kohli's announcement before the start of the tournament that he is leaving captaincy was not a good move. He also claimed that the relations were not good between Kohli, Shastri and the Indian cricket board as they knew Shastri was going to be replaced by Dravid after the tournament. "I said this even before the match, that this statement of leaving captaincy after the tournament… it is not good. You have to play a big event and this shows that there is pressure on you and you are not comfortable. They all knew that after this tournament, Shastri was to get replaced by Dravid," Inzamam said on ARY News. "This should not happen before a big event. Your authority gets challenged. And this means that relations between Kohli, Shastri and board were not great. If India were to win the T20 World Cup, would they have removed the captain and coach? There was some problem between them," he added. Also Read: Indians were scared, under pressure even before the Pakistan match started: Inzamam-ul-Haq India's campaign at the T20 World Cup got off to the worst possible start with their ten-wicket defeat against Pakistan before slipping to an eight-wicket loss against New Zealand. The back-to-back defeats meant India failed to recover and had to make an exit from the group stages.

Relations between Kohli, ex-coach Shastri and BCCI were not great: Inzamam on India's T20 WC debacle

<p>Rahul Dravid took over as India's head coach from Ravi Shastri after the end of the T20 World Cup. Under Shastri, India enjoyed considerable success across formats and became a daunting force while playing overseas Tests. However, the national side couldn't win an ICC title and, hence, Dravid will like to end India's ICC-title drought during his tenure.</p>

<p>In his first-ever series as India's full-time coach, Dravid guided Rohit Sharma &amp; Co. to a T20I series whitewash of New Zealand at home. The Indian team is now involved in a two-match Test series versus the Black Caps and will like to continue their dominant run under new coach.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-he-doesnt-look-like-an-opener-aakash-chopra-shares-ideal-batting-position-for-shubman-gill-432069"><strong>IND vs NZ: 'He doesn't look like an opener' - Aakash Chopra shares ideal batting position for Shubman Gill</strong></a></p>

<p>Recently, speaking at Dravid's appointment as Team India's head coach, former World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev said at the Royal Calcutta Golf Course in Kolkata, "He's a good man, a good cricketer. He will do a better job as a coach than as a cricketer because in cricket nobody has done better than him. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed," He added. "You can't just judge one after his debut, you don't go by one performance. Over a period of time, what Rahul will do, we will come to know. You only think positive."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/he-is-not-bowling-so-can-we-call-him-all-rounder-kapil-dev-opines-on-team-india-star-hardik-pandya-432094"><strong>'He is not bowling so can we call him all-rounder?' - Kapil Dev opines on Team India star Hardik Pandya</strong></a></p>

<p>Dravid, who amassed 13,288&nbsp;and 10,889 runs in Test cricket and ODIs respectively, has donned several roles in Indian cricket since his international debut in 1996. From being a middle-order batsman, finisher, part-time keeper, vice-captain, captain, U-19 and India A coach, NCA head, The Wall will now look to excel in his new role as the national side's coach and take Indian cricket to greater heights.</p>


Rahul Dravid took over as India's head coach from Ravi Shastri after the end of the T20 World Cup. Under Shastri, India enjoyed considerable success across formats and became a daunting force while playing overseas Tests.

Rahul Dravid took over as India's head coach from Ravi Shastri after the end of the T20 World Cup. Under Shastri, India enjoyed considerable success across formats and became a daunting force while playing overseas Tests. However, the national side couldn't win an ICC title and, hence, Dravid will like to end India's ICC-title drought during his tenure. In his first-ever series as India's full-time coach, Dravid guided Rohit Sharma & Co. to a T20I series whitewash of New Zealand at home. The Indian team is now involved in a two-match Test series versus the Black Caps and will like to continue their dominant run under new coach. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ: 'He doesn't look like an opener' - Aakash Chopra shares ideal batting position for Shubman Gill Recently, speaking at Dravid's appointment as Team India's head coach, former World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev said at the Royal Calcutta Golf Course in Kolkata, "He's a good man, a good cricketer. He will do a better job as a coach than as a cricketer because in cricket nobody has done better than him. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed," He added. "You can't just judge one after his debut, you don't go by one performance. Over a period of time, what Rahul will do, we will come to know. You only think positive." ALSO READ | 'He is not bowling so can we call him all-rounder?' - Kapil Dev opines on Team India star Hardik Pandya Dravid, who amassed 13,288 and 10,889 runs in Test cricket and ODIs respectively, has donned several roles in Indian cricket since his international debut in 1996. From being a middle-order batsman, finisher, part-time keeper, vice-captain, captain, U-19 and India A coach, NCA head, The Wall will now look to excel in his new role as the national side's coach and take Indian cricket to greater heights.

'He will do....' - Kapil Dev makes bold claim on Team India's head coach Rahul Dravid

<p>Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid's pairing started off with a bang as India whitewashed New Zealand in the three T20Is. While the two-match Test series between both sides will see Ajinkya Rahane lead in the series opener, regular captain Virat Kohli will join forces with newly-appointed head coach Dravid and hope to form a formidable captain-coach pair in Tests and ODIs.</p>

<p>Ahead of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Green Park, Kanpur, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan stated that he feels confident of the Dravid-Kohli partnership. Despite their contrasting personalities, Pathan feels there will be great understanding and communication between Dravid and Kohli, who is now India's captain in Test and ODI format.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/there-wont-be-any-unfair-treatment-harbhajan-points-out-changes-rahul-dravid-will-bring-in-team-india-431619"><strong>There won't be any unfair treatment: Harbhajan points out changes Rahul Dravid will bring in Team India</strong></a></p>

<p>Irfan said on Star Sports, "This will be a new partnership between Rahul Dravid as well as Virat Kohli, the captain. Especially in the longer format, I don't see any problem because Rahul Dravid is a kind of guy who likes to come into the system, he doesn't change the system much. Now obviously, he's a very technical - tactical guy but he will not disrupt, he never used to disrupt even when he was captain, he always used to help boost the confidence of the player.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“One thing is for sure, there will be a great understanding and communication in this partnership, along with this youth players will be given as much importance as a senior player gets in the team. I'm not saying that this did not happen before but I have played under Rahul Dravid and this was very noticeable, if there was any young player in the team it was not hard to help them get into the team and it was solely due to Rahul Dravid’s mentality,” he added.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nz-1st-test-with-shreyas-iyer-set-to-debut-predicting-team-indias-xi-for-series-opener-in-kanpur-431578"><strong>IND vs NZ, 1st Test: With Shreyas Iyer set to debut, predicting Team India's XI for series opener in Kanpur</strong></a></p>

<p>Before Dravid came into the picture, Kohli formed a strong partnership with Ravi Shastri, Dravid's predecessor. Under Shastri-Kohli, India gained new heights across formats and played the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and final of the inaugural WTC. However, they couldn't win an ICC title. Hence, Dravid will be eager to take India to an ICC trophy along with Kohli in the longer formats and also achieve similar success with T20I captain Rohit.&nbsp;</p>


Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid's pairing started off with a bang as India whitewashed New Zealand in the three T20Is. While the two-match Test series between both sides will see Ajinkya Rahane lead in the series opener, regular captain Virat Kohli will join forces with newly-appointed head coach Dravid and hope to form a formidable captain-coach pair in Tests and ODIs.

Rohit Sharma-Rahul Dravid's pairing started off with a bang as India whitewashed New Zealand in the three T20Is. While the two-match Test series between both sides will see Ajinkya Rahane lead in the series opener, regular captain Virat Kohli will join forces with newly-appointed head coach Dravid and hope to form a formidable captain-coach pair in Tests and ODIs. Ahead of the first Test between India and New Zealand, at Green Park, Kanpur, former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan stated that he feels confident of the Dravid-Kohli partnership. Despite their contrasting personalities, Pathan feels there will be great understanding and communication between Dravid and Kohli, who is now India's captain in Test and ODI format. ALSO READ | There won't be any unfair treatment: Harbhajan points out changes Rahul Dravid will bring in Team India Irfan said on Star Sports, "This will be a new partnership between Rahul Dravid as well as Virat Kohli, the captain. Especially in the longer format, I don't see any problem because Rahul Dravid is a kind of guy who likes to come into the system, he doesn't change the system much. Now obviously, he's a very technical - tactical guy but he will not disrupt, he never used to disrupt even when he was captain, he always used to help boost the confidence of the player. “One thing is for sure, there will be a great understanding and communication in this partnership, along with this youth players will be given as much importance as a senior player gets in the team. I'm not saying that this did not happen before but I have played under Rahul Dravid and this was very noticeable, if there was any young player in the team it was not hard to help them get into the team and it was solely due to Rahul Dravid’s mentality,” he added. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test: With Shreyas Iyer set to debut, predicting Team India's XI for series opener in Kanpur Before Dravid came into the picture, Kohli formed a strong partnership with Ravi Shastri, Dravid's predecessor. Under Shastri-Kohli, India gained new heights across formats and played the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and final of the inaugural WTC. However, they couldn't win an ICC title. Hence, Dravid will be eager to take India to an ICC trophy along with Kohli in the longer formats and also achieve similar success with T20I captain Rohit.

'There will be great understanding and...' - Irfan Pathan confident of Rahul Dravid-Virat Kohli partnership

<p>Rahul Dravid has taken over as Team India's head coach from Ravi Shastri after the former Indian all-rounder's tenure came to an end post the T20 World Cup. Under Shastri, India enjoyed considerable success across formats but couldn't end their ICC-trophy drought. Hence, Dravid is expected to turn things around and lead India to an ICC title, with their last major trophy coming in 2013.</p>

<p>Dravid has started with a bang by guiding the Indian team to a 3-0 whitewash over New Zealand in three T20Is. Ahead of the two-match Test series between India and the Black Caps, at home, veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has pointed out what changes one will be able to see in the Dravid-era.</p>

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<p>Speaking to Star Sports, Harbhajan said, "See, the combination will obviously take some time for everyone to adjust to with new things, new processes that Rahul will bring onto the table and I think the triangle of these three is joined to one another, Rahul with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. I think they should be working together and take Indian cricket to new heights."</p>

<p>"With Rahul coming in, I can tell you that players will be given a lot of assurance. Players will be given good chances, there won't be any unfair treatment and you’ll be left out of the team, they will be given proper opportunities and that’s what Rahul Dravid will bring onto the table. He will bring a lot of stability to the team," added Harbhajan.&nbsp;</p>

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<p>Dravid-coached India will take on Kane Williamson-led New Zealand in the two-match Test series opener on Thursday (November 25) in Kanpur. While Ajinkya Rahane-led India will be without many of their key players -- regular captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, etc. -- they will still start as favourites and look to avenge their WTC final loss versus the Kiwis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the unversed, Dravid has been appointed as India's coach till 2023 ODI World Cup. Hence, he has quite a big task on his shoulders to end India's ICC-title drought with mega events lined-up in each year.</p>


Rahul Dravid has taken over as Team India's head coach from Ravi Shastri after the former Indian all-rounder's tenure came to an end post the T20 World Cup. Under Shastri, India enjoyed considerable success across formats but couldn't end their ICC-trophy drought.

Rahul Dravid has taken over as Team India's head coach from Ravi Shastri after the former Indian all-rounder's tenure came to an end post the T20 World Cup. Under Shastri, India enjoyed considerable success across formats but couldn't end their ICC-trophy drought. Hence, Dravid is expected to turn things around and lead India to an ICC title, with their last major trophy coming in 2013. Dravid has started with a bang by guiding the Indian team to a 3-0 whitewash over New Zealand in three T20Is. Ahead of the two-match Test series between India and the Black Caps, at home, veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has pointed out what changes one will be able to see in the Dravid-era. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test live streaming: When and where to watch India vs New Zealand match live online? Speaking to Star Sports, Harbhajan said, "See, the combination will obviously take some time for everyone to adjust to with new things, new processes that Rahul will bring onto the table and I think the triangle of these three is joined to one another, Rahul with Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. I think they should be working together and take Indian cricket to new heights." "With Rahul coming in, I can tell you that players will be given a lot of assurance. Players will be given good chances, there won't be any unfair treatment and you’ll be left out of the team, they will be given proper opportunities and that’s what Rahul Dravid will bring onto the table. He will bring a lot of stability to the team," added Harbhajan. ALSO READ | IND vs NZ, 1st Test: With Shreyas Iyer set to debut, predicting Team India's XI for series opener in Kanpur Dravid-coached India will take on Kane Williamson-led New Zealand in the two-match Test series opener on Thursday (November 25) in Kanpur. While Ajinkya Rahane-led India will be without many of their key players -- regular captain Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, etc. -- they will still start as favourites and look to avenge their WTC final loss versus the Kiwis. For the unversed, Dravid has been appointed as India's coach till 2023 ODI World Cup. Hence, he has quite a big task on his shoulders to end India's ICC-title drought with mega events lined-up in each year.

There won't be any unfair treatment: Harbhajan points out changes Rahul Dravid will bring in Team India

<p>Under MS Dhoni, Team India achieved wholesome success as the former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman remains the only international captain to lead his national side to all three major ICC titles during his captaincy tenure. When Dhoni stepped aside as the captain from all formats, in early 2017, Virat Kohli stepped up and took over the reins from his senior pro.</p>

<p>Dhoni, however, remained a vital cog of Kohli-led India's limited-overs side, having retired from Tests in late 2014, till he played his last match in the 2019 ODI World Cup and decided to hang up his boots the following year. Recently, the former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun opened up on the smooth captaincy transition in Indian cricket between Dhoni and Kohli.</p>

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<p>“Ravi told the importance of having a senior member like Dhoni in the team. It was about giving a lot of respect and he would definitely help him. Kohli understood that of course and it was a seamless transition. You could see the respect in the way Kohli would often let Dhoni handle little details and prowl on the boundary in ODIs. That kind of stuff can’t have happened without trust and respect. And Dhoni also saw he was given the space and responded so well,” Arun told Indian Express in an interview.</p>

<p>When Kohli took over as full-time captain, Dhoni continued to guide him from behind the stumps in terms of sharing small and valuable inputs, changing fielding positions and mentoring the bowlers. During this time, India enjoyed considerable success in white-ball formats but couldn't lift the 2019 ODI WC title, bowing out in the semi-finals.</p>

<p>Dhoni was also part of Kohli-led Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, in the UAE, serving as the team mentor.</p>

<p>Speaking of the former Indian team head coach Ravi Shastri, Arun lavished praise on the ex-cricketer's tenure and said, "Fearlessness and honesty. During his tenure, there was absolutely no agenda. The decisions might have been right or wrong, that is irrelevant, but they came from the right place, purely thinking about team values and what we stood for as a team. Honesty encompasses criticism, self-introspection. It was in telling the team that ‘accept that we messed up’. It helped us evolve the team."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ms-dhoni-watches-on-as-finisher-shahrukh-khans-last-ball-six-powers-tamil-nadu-to-smat-2021-title-431232"><strong>MS Dhoni watches on as 'finisher' Shahrukh Khan's last-ball six powers Tamil Nadu to SMAT 2021 title</strong></a></p>

<p>After the T20 WC, the Shastri-led coaching staff, including Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar, stepped aside from their respective posts. Vikram Rathour continues to hold his post, i.e. of the batting coach, whereas Rahul Dravid has replaced Shastri as Team India's coach till 2023.</p>


Under MS Dhoni, Team India achieved wholesome success as the former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman remains the only international captain to lead his national side to all three major ICC titles during his captaincy tenure.

Under MS Dhoni, Team India achieved wholesome success as the former Indian wicketkeeper-batsman remains the only international captain to lead his national side to all three major ICC titles during his captaincy tenure. When Dhoni stepped aside as the captain from all formats, in early 2017, Virat Kohli stepped up and took over the reins from his senior pro. Dhoni, however, remained a vital cog of Kohli-led India's limited-overs side, having retired from Tests in late 2014, till he played his last match in the 2019 ODI World Cup and decided to hang up his boots the following year. Recently, the former Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun opened up on the smooth captaincy transition in Indian cricket between Dhoni and Kohli. ALSO READ | If you're trying to do something for the team, it will never go unnoticed, says Rohit Sharma post NZ T20Is “Ravi told the importance of having a senior member like Dhoni in the team. It was about giving a lot of respect and he would definitely help him. Kohli understood that of course and it was a seamless transition. You could see the respect in the way Kohli would often let Dhoni handle little details and prowl on the boundary in ODIs. That kind of stuff can’t have happened without trust and respect. And Dhoni also saw he was given the space and responded so well,” Arun told Indian Express in an interview. When Kohli took over as full-time captain, Dhoni continued to guide him from behind the stumps in terms of sharing small and valuable inputs, changing fielding positions and mentoring the bowlers. During this time, India enjoyed considerable success in white-ball formats but couldn't lift the 2019 ODI WC title, bowing out in the semi-finals. Dhoni was also part of Kohli-led Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, in the UAE, serving as the team mentor. Speaking of the former Indian team head coach Ravi Shastri, Arun lavished praise on the ex-cricketer's tenure and said, "Fearlessness and honesty. During his tenure, there was absolutely no agenda. The decisions might have been right or wrong, that is irrelevant, but they came from the right place, purely thinking about team values and what we stood for as a team. Honesty encompasses criticism, self-introspection. It was in telling the team that ‘accept that we messed up’. It helped us evolve the team." ALSO READ | MS Dhoni watches on as 'finisher' Shahrukh Khan's last-ball six powers Tamil Nadu to SMAT 2021 title After the T20 WC, the Shastri-led coaching staff, including Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar, stepped aside from their respective posts. Vikram Rathour continues to hold his post, i.e. of the batting coach, whereas Rahul Dravid has replaced Shastri as Team India's coach till 2023.

'Virat Kohli often let MS Dhoni handle...': Bharat Arun opines on smooth captaincy transition between duo

<p>Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has his say on the ex-head coach of the national men's team, Ravi Shastri, whose tenure ended after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shastri has been succeeded by former India captain Rahul Dravid, who took the charge during India's three-match T20I home series against New Zealand, which India won 3-0.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the time of his departure as the head coach of India, Shastri hailed the players, including the support staff as he said that the Indian team during his tenure was "one of the great teams that have played the game". The statement didn't sit well with the cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-john-the-bookmaker-to-paines-sexting-controversies-that-have-tainted-australian-cricket-since-1981-430763#tim-paines-sexting-scandal-430745">From 'John' the bookmaker to Paine's sexting: Controversies that have tainted Australian cricket since 1981</a></strong></p>

<p>"The one thing I found surprising is that when you play well, you don't usually boast about it. It's fine if others talk about it; when we won the 2011 World Cup, no one gave statements saying that this team is the best in the world, let alone country," Gambhir said on Times Now Navbharat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"When you win, let others talk about it. You won in Australia, that's a big achievement no doubt. You won in England, performed well, no doubt. But let others praise you. You won't hear such statements from Rahul Dravid. Whether India play good or bad, his statements will always remain balanced. Moreover, it will reflect on other players," said the former Indian opener.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/sportspersons-are-human-stop-the-judgement-shane-warne-defends-tim-paine-over-sexting-scandal-431025">'Sportspersons are human. Stop the judgement': Shane Warne defends Tim Paine over sexting scandal</a></strong></p>

<p>"Humility is very important, whether you play good or bad. Cricket won't go on forever. I think Dravid's major focus will be on players being good people first," Gambhir added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In Shastri-era, Team India became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia (2018-19) and triumphed again Down Under in 2020-21. In the leadership of a prolific skipper Virat Kohli, India climbed to the top of the Test rankings and reached the final of this year's inaugural World Test Championship, where they were beaten by New Zealand.</p>


Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has his say on the ex-head coach of the national men's team, Ravi Shastri, whose tenure ended after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021.

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has his say on the ex-head coach of the national men's team, Ravi Shastri, whose tenure ended after the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021. Shastri has been succeeded by former India captain Rahul Dravid, who took the charge during India's three-match T20I home series against New Zealand, which India won 3-0. At the time of his departure as the head coach of India, Shastri hailed the players, including the support staff as he said that the Indian team during his tenure was "one of the great teams that have played the game". The statement didn't sit well with the cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir. IN PICS | From 'John' the bookmaker to Paine's sexting: Controversies that have tainted Australian cricket since 1981 "The one thing I found surprising is that when you play well, you don't usually boast about it. It's fine if others talk about it; when we won the 2011 World Cup, no one gave statements saying that this team is the best in the world, let alone country," Gambhir said on Times Now Navbharat. "When you win, let others talk about it. You won in Australia, that's a big achievement no doubt. You won in England, performed well, no doubt. But let others praise you. You won't hear such statements from Rahul Dravid. Whether India play good or bad, his statements will always remain balanced. Moreover, it will reflect on other players," said the former Indian opener. ALSO READ | 'Sportspersons are human. Stop the judgement': Shane Warne defends Tim Paine over sexting scandal "Humility is very important, whether you play good or bad. Cricket won't go on forever. I think Dravid's major focus will be on players being good people first," Gambhir added. In Shastri-era, Team India became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia (2018-19) and triumphed again Down Under in 2020-21. In the leadership of a prolific skipper Virat Kohli, India climbed to the top of the Test rankings and reached the final of this year's inaugural World Test Championship, where they were beaten by New Zealand.

'Dravid's statements will always remain balanced': Gautam Gambhir's staunch criticism for Ravi Shastri

<p>'Absolutely, you need a break," said Jasprit Bumrah in the&nbsp;aftermath of India's loss against New Zealand in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2021, when asked if the team would have preferred a bigger break between the second leg of the&nbsp;Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and the start of the World Cup in the UAE.</p>

<p>India's campaign got underway less than two weeks after the conclusion of IPL 2021 and it didn't take long for the players to realise the implications of having spent months playing continuous cricket in bio-bubbles across the world. In the past year, the 'new normal' as the bio bubble life&nbsp;has often been labelled as, has taken a massive toll on the mental health of cricketers.</p>

<p>It all started in August last year when the IPL got underway in the UAE after a long hiatus due to COVID-19. The challenges of living in a bubble were quite evident right from the beginning but the excitement of cricket returning after a long gap meant the ill effects were ignored.</p>

<p>But, as India's campaign derailed in the T20 World Cup, the mental health of the players took centre stage. As much as the form&nbsp;and priorities of each player were discussed in the aftermath of India's consecutive defeats in their first two Super 12 matches, mental health was one of the decisive factors in the team's poor start.</p>

<p>Mental health has never been taken as seriously in cricket as it has been in the past few months after the introduction of 'bio-bubbles' to combat the invisible virus. From Ben Stokes taking a break to Indian players and support staff talking openly of the fatigue caused by the bubble life, mental health has become one of the biggest talking points in cricket post COVID-19.</p>

<p>India's campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 was all but over after their back-to-back defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand in the first two games but they hung on till the end. Only to eventually bow out despite winning the remaining three matches comprehensively.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While they didn't bring home the second T20 World Cup trophy but the tournament did enough to awaken the senses of Indian cricket which has for long ignored mental health and the issues surrounding it. India are one of the most active teams in world cricket and excessive cricket in these tough times can easily become mentally challenging for even the toughest of characters.</p>

<p><strong>Here is a look at how much rest did each of the Indian players got ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021:</strong></p>

<p>Before we start looking at the amount of rest each of the 15 members of the Indian T20 World Cup 2021 squad got ahead of the tournament, we need to take into account the common break periods for the team since IPL 2020.</p>

<p>The IPL 2020 final was played on November 10 and the Indian team had almost no break ahead of the Australia tour which kicked off on November 27 and lasted till January 19 2021. India got a six-day break before the start of the England series at home.</p>

<p>The team then got a break of two weeks after the cancellation of IPL 2021 in May ahead of the England tour and a 21-day break in England in between the World Test Championship final and the start of the Test series. Each of the 15 players were part of the IPL bio bubble in April-May and then September-October.</p>

<p><strong>1) Virat Kohli - </strong>The former Indian T20I captain took just one break in between IPL 2020 and the start of the T20 World Cup this year. He missed the last three Tests against Australia due to paternity leave from December 21 to January 27.</p>

<p><strong>2) Rohit Sharma - </strong>Rohit Sharma was injured ahead of the start of the Australia tour and had missed the ODI and T20I series Down Under along with the first two Test matches. He was out due to injury from November 11 to December 18.</p>

<p><strong>3) KL Rahul - </strong>The Indian opener was ruled out of the Australia Test series after the conclusion of the firs two games and was on an injury break from January 05 to January 28.</p>

<p><strong>4) Suryakumar Yadav -&nbsp;</strong>The batter was not part of India's tour of Australia but was in a bio-bubble during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in India. He got a 45-day break post IPL 2020 ahead of the start of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He then played the England series at home but was not part of the England tour and got&nbsp;40 days rest before the Sri Lanka tour in July. He had then travelled to England post the SL tour.</p>

<p><strong>5) Rishabh Pant </strong>- The wicket-keeper batter has been one of the busiest cricketers for Team India and has had no break since the IPL 2020. Pant has been part of each of India's series since the conclusion of the IPL last year without taking any rest.</p>

<p><strong>6) Ishan Kishan</strong> - India's backup wicket-keeper and opener in the T20 World Cup this year, Ishan also got a 45-day break after IPL 2020 ahead of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He then got a 40-day break ahead of the Sri Lanka tour in May and a three-week break after the Sri Lanka tour before the start of IPL 2021's second leg.</p>

<p><strong>7) Hardik Pandya -</strong> Hardik Pandya was on a break after the T20I series in Australia. He got a rest period of 50 days before the England series at home. He then had a 40-day break ahead of the Sri Lanka tour and a three-week break post that.</p>

<p><strong>8) Ravindra Jadeja -</strong> The star all-rounder was out with an injury for 60 days from January 11. His Australia tour was cut short in between. Jadeja made his comeback in the England series at home and didn't get any break till the T20 World Cup 2021.</p>

<p><strong>9) R Ashwin</strong> - R Ashwin was also in a bubble continuously throughout the Australia tour before entering another bubble during the England Test series at home. He then was part of the Test squad for the England tour ahead of IPL 2021's second leg and didn't get any break before the start of the T20 World Cup 2021.</p>

<p><strong>10) Shardul Thakur - </strong>The Indian pacer didn't get any break from IPL 2020 to the start of the T20 World Cup 2021 this year as he was part of the Australia tour, England series at home, IPL 2021 and the England tour.</p>

<p><strong>11) Mohammed Shami -</strong> Shami had an injury break of 90 days after getting ruled out following the first Test against Australia in December. He made a comeback during the first leg of IPL 2021 and stayed in bubbles continuously post that.</p>

<p><strong>12) Jasprit Bumrah - </strong>One of India's best fast bowlers at present, Bumrah got a two-week break for his wedding when he left the bio-bubble midway through the England series at home. He has also been one of India's most active cricketers in the past year.</p>

<p><strong>13) Varun Chakaravarthy -</strong> The spinner was initially named in India's T20 squad for the Australia tour but ended up missing the tour due to an injury. He was out for four months due to his injury and made his comeback in IPL 2021. Chakaravarthy then got a 40-day break after IPL 2021 was cancelled in May before the Sri Lanka tour. He then got a three-week rest post the SL tour.</p>

<p><strong>14) Bhuvneshwar Kumar - </strong>The senior pacer was also out injured for quite a while and had missed the Australia tour entirely. He spent 60 days on the sidelines due to his injury and made his comeback in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He then joined Team India's bubble for the England series at home and got the rest of 40 days after that before the Sri Lanka tour. He then got a three-week rest post the SL tour.</p>

<p><strong>15) Rahul Chahar - </strong>The spinner got a two-month break post IPL 2020 as he was also not part of the Australia tour. Chahar then got a 40-day break after the IPL 2021 was suspended in May and a three-week break after the Sri Lanka tour.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


'Absolutely, you need a break," said Jasprit Bumrah in the aftermath of India's loss against New Zealand in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2021, when asked if the team would have preferred a bigger break between the second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and the start of the World Cup in the UAE.

'Absolutely, you need a break," said Jasprit Bumrah in the aftermath of India's loss against New Zealand in the recently-concluded T20 World Cup 2021, when asked if the team would have preferred a bigger break between the second leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and the start of the World Cup in the UAE. India's campaign got underway less than two weeks after the conclusion of IPL 2021 and it didn't take long for the players to realise the implications of having spent months playing continuous cricket in bio-bubbles across the world. In the past year, the 'new normal' as the bio bubble life has often been labelled as, has taken a massive toll on the mental health of cricketers. It all started in August last year when the IPL got underway in the UAE after a long hiatus due to COVID-19. The challenges of living in a bubble were quite evident right from the beginning but the excitement of cricket returning after a long gap meant the ill effects were ignored. But, as India's campaign derailed in the T20 World Cup, the mental health of the players took centre stage. As much as the form and priorities of each player were discussed in the aftermath of India's consecutive defeats in their first two Super 12 matches, mental health was one of the decisive factors in the team's poor start. Mental health has never been taken as seriously in cricket as it has been in the past few months after the introduction of 'bio-bubbles' to combat the invisible virus. From Ben Stokes taking a break to Indian players and support staff talking openly of the fatigue caused by the bubble life, mental health has become one of the biggest talking points in cricket post COVID-19. India's campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 was all but over after their back-to-back defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand in the first two games but they hung on till the end. Only to eventually bow out despite winning the remaining three matches comprehensively. While they didn't bring home the second T20 World Cup trophy but the tournament did enough to awaken the senses of Indian cricket which has for long ignored mental health and the issues surrounding it. India are one of the most active teams in world cricket and excessive cricket in these tough times can easily become mentally challenging for even the toughest of characters. Here is a look at how much rest did each of the Indian players got ahead of the T20 World Cup 2021: Before we start looking at the amount of rest each of the 15 members of the Indian T20 World Cup 2021 squad got ahead of the tournament, we need to take into account the common break periods for the team since IPL 2020. The IPL 2020 final was played on November 10 and the Indian team had almost no break ahead of the Australia tour which kicked off on November 27 and lasted till January 19 2021. India got a six-day break before the start of the England series at home. The team then got a break of two weeks after the cancellation of IPL 2021 in May ahead of the England tour and a 21-day break in England in between the World Test Championship final and the start of the Test series. Each of the 15 players were part of the IPL bio bubble in April-May and then September-October. 1) Virat Kohli - The former Indian T20I captain took just one break in between IPL 2020 and the start of the T20 World Cup this year. He missed the last three Tests against Australia due to paternity leave from December 21 to January 27. 2) Rohit Sharma - Rohit Sharma was injured ahead of the start of the Australia tour and had missed the ODI and T20I series Down Under along with the first two Test matches. He was out due to injury from November 11 to December 18. 3) KL Rahul - The Indian opener was ruled out of the Australia Test series after the conclusion of the firs two games and was on an injury break from January 05 to January 28. 4) Suryakumar Yadav - The batter was not part of India's tour of Australia but was in a bio-bubble during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in India. He got a 45-day break post IPL 2020 ahead of the start of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He then played the England series at home but was not part of the England tour and got 40 days rest before the Sri Lanka tour in July. He had then travelled to England post the SL tour. 5) Rishabh Pant - The wicket-keeper batter has been one of the busiest cricketers for Team India and has had no break since the IPL 2020. Pant has been part of each of India's series since the conclusion of the IPL last year without taking any rest. 6) Ishan Kishan - India's backup wicket-keeper and opener in the T20 World Cup this year, Ishan also got a 45-day break after IPL 2020 ahead of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He then got a 40-day break ahead of the Sri Lanka tour in May and a three-week break after the Sri Lanka tour before the start of IPL 2021's second leg. 7) Hardik Pandya - Hardik Pandya was on a break after the T20I series in Australia. He got a rest period of 50 days before the England series at home. He then had a 40-day break ahead of the Sri Lanka tour and a three-week break post that. 8) Ravindra Jadeja - The star all-rounder was out with an injury for 60 days from January 11. His Australia tour was cut short in between. Jadeja made his comeback in the England series at home and didn't get any break till the T20 World Cup 2021. 9) R Ashwin - R Ashwin was also in a bubble continuously throughout the Australia tour before entering another bubble during the England Test series at home. He then was part of the Test squad for the England tour ahead of IPL 2021's second leg and didn't get any break before the start of the T20 World Cup 2021. 10) Shardul Thakur - The Indian pacer didn't get any break from IPL 2020 to the start of the T20 World Cup 2021 this year as he was part of the Australia tour, England series at home, IPL 2021 and the England tour. 11) Mohammed Shami - Shami had an injury break of 90 days after getting ruled out following the first Test against Australia in December. He made a comeback during the first leg of IPL 2021 and stayed in bubbles continuously post that. 12) Jasprit Bumrah - One of India's best fast bowlers at present, Bumrah got a two-week break for his wedding when he left the bio-bubble midway through the England series at home. He has also been one of India's most active cricketers in the past year. 13) Varun Chakaravarthy - The spinner was initially named in India's T20 squad for the Australia tour but ended up missing the tour due to an injury. He was out for four months due to his injury and made his comeback in IPL 2021. Chakaravarthy then got a 40-day break after IPL 2021 was cancelled in May before the Sri Lanka tour. He then got a three-week rest post the SL tour. 14) Bhuvneshwar Kumar - The senior pacer was also out injured for quite a while and had missed the Australia tour entirely. He spent 60 days on the sidelines due to his injury and made his comeback in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He then joined Team India's bubble for the England series at home and got the rest of 40 days after that before the Sri Lanka tour. He then got a three-week rest post the SL tour. 15) Rahul Chahar - The spinner got a two-month break post IPL 2020 as he was also not part of the Australia tour. Chahar then got a 40-day break after the IPL 2021 was suspended in May and a three-week break after the Sri Lanka tour.

Too much cricket for Team India? Who got how much rest before T20 World Cup 2021

<p>Since 2013, Team India have entered the knockouts in every ICC event. They won the Champions Trophy in 2013, ended as runners-up in 2014 T20 World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and inaugural World Test Championship. Further, they lost the semi-finals in the 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup as well as in the 2016 T20 WC.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Being the dominant force at home, winning bilateral series across formats while being on the road and having played the IPL 14 final leg in UAE, Virat Kohli's Team India entered the 2021 T20 WC as one of the strongest contenders. In addition, they entered the showpiece event as the second-best side in terms of ICC T20I rankings (still hold the same position) but failed to make it to the last four.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While such one-off blips are&nbsp;always inevitable, how did India manage to falter when they had all the boxes ticked? Or, did they really have all bases covered before entering the multi-nation tournament?&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravi-shastri-takes-a-dig-at-meme-creators-on-social-media-i-would-like-to-invite-some-of-them-for-a-drink-428926"><strong>Ravi Shastri takes a dig at meme creators on social media: 'I would like to invite some of them for a drink'</strong></a></p>

<p>Before we analyse how India managed to fall like nine pins, let's go through the pros attached to the Men in Blue camp. For starters, India had a solid top three -- Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Captain Virat Kohli. In addition, they had power-hitters in abundance in the form of Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja. Moreover, all their power-hitters were able finishers as well. In the bowling department, India comprised ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, seasoned campaigner Bhuvneshwar Kumar and were bolstered by the return of R Ashwin in the spin department. 'Mystery bowler' Varun Chakravarthy and Mumbai Indians' (MI) wicket-taker Rahul Chahar also had enough experience in UAE conditions (courtesy their recent IPL stints).</p>

<p>The one-time winners were surely extra motivated to give a proper send-off to the outgoing coaching staff, led by Ravi Shastri, and Captain Kohli (who had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last assignment as India's skipper in the shortest format). Above all, the national side also comprised MS Dhoni -- the most successful international captain with all three major ICC titles in his cabinet -- as mentor.</p>

<p><strong>HOW DID INDIA STILL MANAGE TO FALTER?</strong></p>

<p><strong>CONTINUOUS CRICKET, TIRED LEGS, BIO-BUBBLE ISSUES</strong></p>

<p>For the unversed, Team India players have been super busy&nbsp;in the post Covid-19 era. Competitive cricket returned with IPL 2020 in the UAE. The gruelling 60 matches kept the Indian players on their toes as they returned to the 22-yard cricket strip after a long gap. In addition, they were acclimatising with the bio-bubble demands. The mega event was followed by an full-fledged&nbsp;Australia tour (from November 27, 2020 to January 19, 2021).</p>

<p>The Australia trip was followed by England's all-format tour of India in early 2021, from February 5 to March 28. Soon, IPL 14's first leg followed suit, from April 09.</p>

<p>The Covid-19's second wave led to this year's IPL season's postponement on May 4. Hence, it did serve&nbsp;as some respite for the Indian players, giving them more time before the United Kingdom tour.&nbsp;The original IPL 2021 schedule was supposed to end on May 30. On the other hand, India were scheduled to play the WTC final on June 18 at Southampton. Hence, their break would've been minimal given how teams have to report early&nbsp;for mandatory quarantines and entering a bio-bubble environment.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Let's get back to how things actually shaped up! Indian players got a break with IPL 14's postponement but had to enter the bio-bubble in Mumbai, on May 19, for UK tour. They left for the UK on June 2 and departed for the UAE, in mid-September, after the fifth and final England Test got cancelled on September 10.</p>

<p><em><strong>Note</strong></em>: Indian players were given a 20-day bio-bubble break post the WTC final, before reassembling for the England Tests.</p>

<p>Coming to the UAE, Indian players reported to their respective IPL franchises, as the tournament lasted till October 15. Soon, India played their Super 12 opener in the T20 WC, on October 24, before they bowed out with their last league stage match on November 8.</p>

<p><strong>India's cricketing schedule in post-pandemic era</strong></p>

<p><strong>India tour of Australia: </strong>Nov 27, 2020- Jan 19, 2021</p>

<p><strong>England tour of India:&nbsp;</strong>Feb 5- March 28</p>

<p><strong>IPL 14 first leg:</strong> April 9-May 4</p>

<p><strong>India vs New Zealand, WTC final:</strong> June 18-23</p>

<p><strong>India vs England Tests in the UK: </strong>August 4-September 10&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>IPL 14 final leg:</strong> Sep 19-Oct 15</p>

<p><strong>T20 WC:</strong> Oct 24-Nov 8</p>

<p>Barring the WTC final, India dominated and enjoyed considerable success in the post Covid-era. Somewhere down the line, the law of averages was always going to catch up with them.</p>

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<p><strong>NOT MANAGING 'PROBLEMS OF PLENTY', QUESTIONABLE SELECTIONS, APPALLING STRATEGIES</strong></p>

<p>Apart from the continuous cricket, it is important to note that India's main squad assembled for the first time in T20Is for the World Cup. They had last played together in the format&nbsp;during the England home series, which ended on March 28. Thus, there was a staggering gap of 201 days (counting till the IPL&nbsp;finale on October 15). One can argue that the Indian players were still in the T20 groove by playing in the IPL. However, that they were performing different roles donning varied jerseys in the cash-rich league.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While the bio-bubble strain and fatigue factor had already kicked in, which was clearly evident the Pakistan and New Zealand face-offs, some eye-catching selections and poor strategies added to an exhausted side's woes. For instance, overlooking Yuzvendra Chahal -- who has been India's spin spearhead -- despite his form in IPL 14's final leg, not even including him in the standby list, putting Deepak Chahar (who has second-best figures overall in T20Is: 6 for 7) among standby players, suddenly adding R Ashwin (overlooked in limited-overs since 2017), preferring Varun Chakravarthy in the opening two games cost Kohli &amp; Co. severely.</p>

<p><em><strong>Note</strong></em>: Prior to the World Cup, the KKR spinner Chakravarthy had represented India in only three T20Is.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Having problems of plenty is surely a headache teams would like to afford&nbsp;While India have been blessed with plenty of T20I stars, are they managing them wisely? In order to unleash Ishan Kishan versus New Zealand, after the Pakistan mauling, India demoted Rohit Sharma at No. 3. Their best batsman was dropped down in the batting order at the expense of a young batter. Appalling! (Remember how India had auditioned several players for the No. 4 spot for the 2019 ODI World Cup before claiming that they will remain flexible with the batting slot in their campaign?)</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/might-happen-in-odis-ravi-shastri-hints-at-virat-kohli-leaving-50-over-formats-captaincy-after-t20is-428796"><strong>'Might happen in ODIs' - Ravi Shastri hints at Virat Kohli leaving 50-over format's captaincy after T20Is</strong></a></p>

<p><b>TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE BROTH</b></p>

<p>Lastly, the whole of Indian cricket fraternity was in jubilant mood following MS Dhoni's appointment as team mentor for the mega event. After all, Dhoni had led India to their last ICC title in 2013 and enjoys huge respect among the current crop of players. As feared and already pointed out by Sunil Gavaskar, it seems it did lead to having several strong minds within&nbsp;the Team India dressing room, causing more ruckus in a 'problems of plenty' squad.</p>

<p>Undoubtedly, there is no question being raised about 'rift' issues. However, the tired minds and exhausted squad also couldn't gain much from Dhoni's presence.&nbsp;</p>


Since 2013, Team India have entered the knockouts in every ICC event. They won the Champions Trophy in 2013, ended as runners-up in 2014 T20 World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and inaugural World Test Championship.

Since 2013, Team India have entered the knockouts in every ICC event. They won the Champions Trophy in 2013, ended as runners-up in 2014 T20 World Cup, 2017 Champions Trophy and inaugural World Test Championship. Further, they lost the semi-finals in the 2015 and 2019 ODI World Cup as well as in the 2016 T20 WC. Being the dominant force at home, winning bilateral series across formats while being on the road and having played the IPL 14 final leg in UAE, Virat Kohli's Team India entered the 2021 T20 WC as one of the strongest contenders. In addition, they entered the showpiece event as the second-best side in terms of ICC T20I rankings (still hold the same position) but failed to make it to the last four. While such one-off blips are always inevitable, how did India manage to falter when they had all the boxes ticked? Or, did they really have all bases covered before entering the multi-nation tournament? ALSO READ | Ravi Shastri takes a dig at meme creators on social media: 'I would like to invite some of them for a drink' Before we analyse how India managed to fall like nine pins, let's go through the pros attached to the Men in Blue camp. For starters, India had a solid top three -- Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Captain Virat Kohli. In addition, they had power-hitters in abundance in the form of Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja. Moreover, all their power-hitters were able finishers as well. In the bowling department, India comprised ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, seasoned campaigner Bhuvneshwar Kumar and were bolstered by the return of R Ashwin in the spin department. 'Mystery bowler' Varun Chakravarthy and Mumbai Indians' (MI) wicket-taker Rahul Chahar also had enough experience in UAE conditions (courtesy their recent IPL stints). The one-time winners were surely extra motivated to give a proper send-off to the outgoing coaching staff, led by Ravi Shastri, and Captain Kohli (who had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last assignment as India's skipper in the shortest format). Above all, the national side also comprised MS Dhoni -- the most successful international captain with all three major ICC titles in his cabinet -- as mentor. HOW DID INDIA STILL MANAGE TO FALTER? CONTINUOUS CRICKET, TIRED LEGS, BIO-BUBBLE ISSUES For the unversed, Team India players have been super busy in the post Covid-19 era. Competitive cricket returned with IPL 2020 in the UAE. The gruelling 60 matches kept the Indian players on their toes as they returned to the 22-yard cricket strip after a long gap. In addition, they were acclimatising with the bio-bubble demands. The mega event was followed by an full-fledged Australia tour (from November 27, 2020 to January 19, 2021). The Australia trip was followed by England's all-format tour of India in early 2021, from February 5 to March 28. Soon, IPL 14's first leg followed suit, from April 09. The Covid-19's second wave led to this year's IPL season's postponement on May 4. Hence, it did serve as some respite for the Indian players, giving them more time before the United Kingdom tour. The original IPL 2021 schedule was supposed to end on May 30. On the other hand, India were scheduled to play the WTC final on June 18 at Southampton. Hence, their break would've been minimal given how teams have to report early for mandatory quarantines and entering a bio-bubble environment. Let's get back to how things actually shaped up! Indian players got a break with IPL 14's postponement but had to enter the bio-bubble in Mumbai, on May 19, for UK tour. They left for the UK on June 2 and departed for the UAE, in mid-September, after the fifth and final England Test got cancelled on September 10. Note: Indian players were given a 20-day bio-bubble break post the WTC final, before reassembling for the England Tests. Coming to the UAE, Indian players reported to their respective IPL franchises, as the tournament lasted till October 15. Soon, India played their Super 12 opener in the T20 WC, on October 24, before they bowed out with their last league stage match on November 8. India's cricketing schedule in post-pandemic era India tour of Australia: Nov 27, 2020- Jan 19, 2021 England tour of India: Feb 5- March 28 IPL 14 first leg: April 9-May 4 India vs New Zealand, WTC final: June 18-23 India vs England Tests in the UK: August 4-September 10 IPL 14 final leg: Sep 19-Oct 15 T20 WC: Oct 24-Nov 8 Barring the WTC final, India dominated and enjoyed considerable success in the post Covid-era. Somewhere down the line, the law of averages was always going to catch up with them. ALSO READ | EXCLUSIVE! Mayank Agarwal heaps praise on coach Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, opines on PBKS journey × NOT MANAGING 'PROBLEMS OF PLENTY', QUESTIONABLE SELECTIONS, APPALLING STRATEGIES Apart from the continuous cricket, it is important to note that India's main squad assembled for the first time in T20Is for the World Cup. They had last played together in the format during the England home series, which ended on March 28. Thus, there was a staggering gap of 201 days (counting till the IPL finale on October 15). One can argue that the Indian players were still in the T20 groove by playing in the IPL. However, that they were performing different roles donning varied jerseys in the cash-rich league. While the bio-bubble strain and fatigue factor had already kicked in, which was clearly evident the Pakistan and New Zealand face-offs, some eye-catching selections and poor strategies added to an exhausted side's woes. For instance, overlooking Yuzvendra Chahal -- who has been India's spin spearhead -- despite his form in IPL 14's final leg, not even including him in the standby list, putting Deepak Chahar (who has second-best figures overall in T20Is: 6 for 7) among standby players, suddenly adding R Ashwin (overlooked in limited-overs since 2017), preferring Varun Chakravarthy in the opening two games cost Kohli & Co. severely. Note: Prior to the World Cup, the KKR spinner Chakravarthy had represented India in only three T20Is. Having problems of plenty is surely a headache teams would like to afford While India have been blessed with plenty of T20I stars, are they managing them wisely? In order to unleash Ishan Kishan versus New Zealand, after the Pakistan mauling, India demoted Rohit Sharma at No. 3. Their best batsman was dropped down in the batting order at the expense of a young batter. Appalling! (Remember how India had auditioned several players for the No. 4 spot for the 2019 ODI World Cup before claiming that they will remain flexible with the batting slot in their campaign?) ALSO READ | 'Might happen in ODIs' - Ravi Shastri hints at Virat Kohli leaving 50-over format's captaincy after T20Is TOO MANY COOKS SPOIL THE BROTH Lastly, the whole of Indian cricket fraternity was in jubilant mood following MS Dhoni's appointment as team mentor for the mega event. After all, Dhoni had led India to their last ICC title in 2013 and enjoys huge respect among the current crop of players. As feared and already pointed out by Sunil Gavaskar, it seems it did lead to having several strong minds within the Team India dressing room, causing more ruckus in a 'problems of plenty' squad. Undoubtedly, there is no question being raised about 'rift' issues. However, the tired minds and exhausted squad also couldn't gain much from Dhoni's presence.

How India under-performed in T20 WC? A quick look at the recipe that left a bad taste in our mouth

<p>Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has taken a dig at meme creators on social media who often target him in their quirky posts and have a laugh at his expense. Shastri said he finds some of the memes quite enjoyable and would like to invite some of the creators for a drink someday.</p>

<p>The former head coach was blamed for India's losses on social media on several occasions during his stint with the team. However, Shastri said at least his memes made people laugh even during difficult times. Shastri's tenure with the Indian team came to an end last week after India's exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021.</p>

<p>"I quite enjoyed some of them (memes). That's talent also. When they suddenly make me have a paunch, then it disappears the next day," Shastri was quoted as saying by India Today.</p>

<p>"There are bottles everywhere, it is a laugh at my expense. So at least in tough times you kept people in good humour. I would like to invite some of them for a drink," he added.</p>

<p>India headed into the T20 World Cup 2021 as one of the favourites but endured a disappointing run in the tournament as they suffered back-to-back defeats in their first two matches against Pakistan and New Zealand. The Men in Blue did bounce back to win their next three games in a row by big margins but six points were not enough to seem them make it to the semi-finals.</p>

<p>Shastri, who had taken over as India's full-time head coach in 2017, ended his stint without a major ICC trophy. However, under his guidance, India became a force to reckon with across formats and came close to winning an ICC trophy on a couple of occasions.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/which-fool-would-value-playing-in-ipl-over-india-ravi-shastri-hits-back-at-critics-after-t20-wc-debacle-428825">Which fool would value playing in IPL over India: Ravi Shastri hits back at critics after T20 WC debacle</a></p>

<p>"This tenure has given me more job satisfaction than anything else. When in this job, you are just with your coaching staff. All you can do is create a mindset that allows the boys to play freely once they are out and giving back something," said Shastri.</p>

<p>"It has entailed a lot of sacrifice, especially in the last year and a half during Covid which cricket has not seen since the Second World War," he added.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has taken a dig at meme creators on social media who often target him in their quirky posts and have a laugh at his expense.

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has taken a dig at meme creators on social media who often target him in their quirky posts and have a laugh at his expense. Shastri said he finds some of the memes quite enjoyable and would like to invite some of the creators for a drink someday. The former head coach was blamed for India's losses on social media on several occasions during his stint with the team. However, Shastri said at least his memes made people laugh even during difficult times. Shastri's tenure with the Indian team came to an end last week after India's exit from the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. "I quite enjoyed some of them (memes). That's talent also. When they suddenly make me have a paunch, then it disappears the next day," Shastri was quoted as saying by India Today. "There are bottles everywhere, it is a laugh at my expense. So at least in tough times you kept people in good humour. I would like to invite some of them for a drink," he added. India headed into the T20 World Cup 2021 as one of the favourites but endured a disappointing run in the tournament as they suffered back-to-back defeats in their first two matches against Pakistan and New Zealand. The Men in Blue did bounce back to win their next three games in a row by big margins but six points were not enough to seem them make it to the semi-finals. Shastri, who had taken over as India's full-time head coach in 2017, ended his stint without a major ICC trophy. However, under his guidance, India became a force to reckon with across formats and came close to winning an ICC trophy on a couple of occasions. Also Read: Which fool would value playing in IPL over India: Ravi Shastri hits back at critics after T20 WC debacle "This tenure has given me more job satisfaction than anything else. When in this job, you are just with your coaching staff. All you can do is create a mindset that allows the boys to play freely once they are out and giving back something," said Shastri. "It has entailed a lot of sacrifice, especially in the last year and a half during Covid which cricket has not seen since the Second World War," he added.

Ravi Shastri takes a dig at meme creators on social media: 'I would like to invite some of them for a drink'

<p>Virat Kohli had announced, in mid-September, that the T20 World Cup 2021 edition will be his last assignment as India's captain in the shortest format. He cited workload issues for stepping aside as the T20I skipper. Now, Ravi Shastri -- whose tenure as the national side's head coach just ended following the T20 WC campaign -- has hinted that Kohli might also step aside as the ODI captain.</p>

<p>Under Shastri-Kohli, Team India were a force to reckon with across formats as they became a daunting line-up while being on the road whereas also managed to dominate oppositions at home. Nonetheless, with Kohli not being at his usual best with the bat and being deprived of the&nbsp;three-figure mark in international cricket since late 2019, the 33-year-old stepped aside as the T20I captain. Now, he can also follow the same route in ODIs.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/bcci-wants-virat-kohli-to-focus-on-batting-likely-to-replace-him-with-rohit-sharma-as-odi-captain-report-428702"><strong>BCCI wants Virat Kohli to focus on batting, likely to replace him with Rohit Sharma as ODI captain - Report</strong></a></p>

<p>In an interview with India Today,&nbsp;Shastri said, "In red-ball cricket, India has been the No1 team in the world for the last 5 years under Virat Kohli. So unless he wants to give up or if he is mentally fatigued and says he wants to focus on his batting - which can happen in the near future, don't think it will happen immediately - it can happen.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added, "The same might happen with the ODI. He might say he wants to focus just on Test captaincy. It is his mind and body that will make that decision."</p>

<p><strong>EXCLUSIVE |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/exclusive-mayank-agarwal-heaps-praise-on-coach-rahul-dravid-virat-kohli-and-rohit-sharma-opines-on-pbks-journey-428841">Mayank Agarwal heaps praise on coach Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, opines on PBKS journey</a></strong></p>

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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virender-sehwag-shares-what-team-india-need-to-learn-from-england-new-zealand-post-t20-wc-debacle-428783"><strong>Virender Sehwag shares what Team India need to learn from England, New Zealand post T20 WC debacle</strong></a></p>

<p>It will be interesting to see if Kohli gives up ODI captaincy as well but holds onto the post in Tests. Recently, reports suggested that the BCCI is willing to free Kohli from more responsibilities by asking him to step aside as the&nbsp;ODI captain.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per a report in&nbsp;<em>NDTV</em>, the BCCI top brass is planning to have a conversation with the right-hander regarding his future as the ODI captain. "The board wants to relieve Kohli of the captaincy burden in limited-overs cricket so that he can focus on his batting and return to his dominant form,"&nbsp;<em>NDTV&nbsp;</em>quoted sources as saying.</p>

<p>Thus, Rohit Sharma might soon become India's limited-overs captain whereas Kohli is likely to continue as the Test skipper.</p>


Virat Kohli had announced, in mid-September, that the T20 World Cup 2021 edition will be his last assignment as India's captain in the shortest format. He cited workload issues for stepping aside as the T20I skipper.

Virat Kohli had announced, in mid-September, that the T20 World Cup 2021 edition will be his last assignment as India's captain in the shortest format. He cited workload issues for stepping aside as the T20I skipper. Now, Ravi Shastri -- whose tenure as the national side's head coach just ended following the T20 WC campaign -- has hinted that Kohli might also step aside as the ODI captain. Under Shastri-Kohli, Team India were a force to reckon with across formats as they became a daunting line-up while being on the road whereas also managed to dominate oppositions at home. Nonetheless, with Kohli not being at his usual best with the bat and being deprived of the three-figure mark in international cricket since late 2019, the 33-year-old stepped aside as the T20I captain. Now, he can also follow the same route in ODIs. ALSO READ | BCCI wants Virat Kohli to focus on batting, likely to replace him with Rohit Sharma as ODI captain - Report In an interview with India Today, Shastri said, "In red-ball cricket, India has been the No1 team in the world for the last 5 years under Virat Kohli. So unless he wants to give up or if he is mentally fatigued and says he wants to focus on his batting - which can happen in the near future, don't think it will happen immediately - it can happen.” He added, "The same might happen with the ODI. He might say he wants to focus just on Test captaincy. It is his mind and body that will make that decision." EXCLUSIVE | Mayank Agarwal heaps praise on coach Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, opines on PBKS journey × ALSO READ | Virender Sehwag shares what Team India need to learn from England, New Zealand post T20 WC debacle It will be interesting to see if Kohli gives up ODI captaincy as well but holds onto the post in Tests. Recently, reports suggested that the BCCI is willing to free Kohli from more responsibilities by asking him to step aside as the ODI captain. As per a report in NDTV, the BCCI top brass is planning to have a conversation with the right-hander regarding his future as the ODI captain. "The board wants to relieve Kohli of the captaincy burden in limited-overs cricket so that he can focus on his batting and return to his dominant form," NDTV quoted sources as saying. Thus, Rohit Sharma might soon become India's limited-overs captain whereas Kohli is likely to continue as the Test skipper.

'Might happen in ODIs' - Ravi Shastri hints at Virat Kohli leaving 50-over format's captaincy after T20Is

<p>Virat Kohli-led India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, after not impressing as a unit in the Super 12 round. The one-time winners lost their opening two fixtures, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, by big margins and were on the brink of an early elimination. While the Men in Blue did bounce back and won their remaining three games with ease, they were out of the semi-finals race prior to their last league stage encounter, versus Namibia.</p>

<p>Being touted as one of the strongest contenders for the coveted title, Kohli &amp; Co.'s early exit left the cricketing fraternity in shock whereas the cricket-crazy nation were left disappointed. As India will now begin a new era under Rohit Sharma, with Kohli stepping aside as captain in the shortest format, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has highlighted some fundamental flaws in Team India selection for T20I cricket.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/former-pak-spinner-feels-t20i-retirement-on-cards-for-virat-kohli-says-two-groups-exist-in-team-india-428457">Former Pak spinner feels T20I retirement on cards for Virat Kohli, says 'two groups exist in Team India'</a></strong></p>

<p>"It's a fundamental flaw in our system. I'm going to highlight this, because now, you're thinking about the future. The players you select in T20Is, you should pick them for the slot which are available, and where the selected players have scored runs,” Chopra said on his official Twitter account.</p>

<p>"You give preference to IPL performances which is good, but if you pick a player who has made runs as an opener for, say, number 5 spot in the international team, that won't work. He has scored all runs as an opener, how can you expect him to perform similarly lower down the order?” Chopra said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We have 5 openers in the Indian team for the squad against New Zealand. We have only 3 matches; how many opportunities can you give? Rohit and Rahul are obviously going to play -- they are the captain and vice-captain respectively,” he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-shaheen-afridi-enacts-dismissals-of-indias-top-3-virat-kohli-rohit-and-rahul-on-public-demand-428447"><strong>Watch: Shaheen Afridi enacts dismissals of India's top 3 Virat Kohli, Rohit and Rahul on public demand</strong></a></p>

<p>After the failed T20 WC campaign, India will now move their focus towards the home series versus New Zealand, which will begin from November 17. The home series will comprise three T20Is and two Tests versus the Black Caps.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid will now also take over as India's head coach, from Ravi Shastri, and hope to take the national side to greater heights -- especially in T20I cricket post the dismal campaign in the ongoing World Cup.</p>


Virat Kohli-led India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, after not impressing as a unit in the Super 12 round. The one-time winners lost their opening two fixtures, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, by big margins and were on the brink of an early elimination.

Virat Kohli-led India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, after not impressing as a unit in the Super 12 round. The one-time winners lost their opening two fixtures, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, by big margins and were on the brink of an early elimination. While the Men in Blue did bounce back and won their remaining three games with ease, they were out of the semi-finals race prior to their last league stage encounter, versus Namibia. Being touted as one of the strongest contenders for the coveted title, Kohli & Co.'s early exit left the cricketing fraternity in shock whereas the cricket-crazy nation were left disappointed. As India will now begin a new era under Rohit Sharma, with Kohli stepping aside as captain in the shortest format, former Indian opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra has highlighted some fundamental flaws in Team India selection for T20I cricket. ALSO READ | Former Pak spinner feels T20I retirement on cards for Virat Kohli, says 'two groups exist in Team India' "It's a fundamental flaw in our system. I'm going to highlight this, because now, you're thinking about the future. The players you select in T20Is, you should pick them for the slot which are available, and where the selected players have scored runs,” Chopra said on his official Twitter account. "You give preference to IPL performances which is good, but if you pick a player who has made runs as an opener for, say, number 5 spot in the international team, that won't work. He has scored all runs as an opener, how can you expect him to perform similarly lower down the order?” Chopra said. "We have 5 openers in the Indian team for the squad against New Zealand. We have only 3 matches; how many opportunities can you give? Rohit and Rahul are obviously going to play -- they are the captain and vice-captain respectively,” he added. ALSO READ | Watch: Shaheen Afridi enacts dismissals of India's top 3 Virat Kohli, Rohit and Rahul on public demand After the failed T20 WC campaign, India will now move their focus towards the home series versus New Zealand, which will begin from November 17. The home series will comprise three T20Is and two Tests versus the Black Caps. Meanwhile, Rahul Dravid will now also take over as India's head coach, from Ravi Shastri, and hope to take the national side to greater heights -- especially in T20I cricket post the dismal campaign in the ongoing World Cup.

Aakash Chopra points out 'fundamental flaw' in Team India selection post dismal T20 WC campaign

<p>Virat Kohli-led Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, in the Super 12 round. The one-time winners weren't anywhere close to their best in their opening two fixtures, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, and paid a heavy price as they were shown the exit door in the group stage itself.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Kohli &amp; Co. did bounce back to win their last three encounters handsomely, it was too late by then as New Zealand and Pakistan confirmed their slots in the semi-finals from the same group, i.e. Pool B. With India's exit, Kohli's tenure as T20I captain came to an end whereas the likes of head coach Ravi Shastri, fielding coach R Sridhar and bowling coach Bharat Arun's respective tenures also concluded.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/goosebumps-shastri-shares-heartfelt-speech-as-outgoing-coach-post-indias-t20-wc-campaign-watch-427919"><strong>GOOSEBUMPS! Shastri shares heartfelt speech as outgoing coach post India's T20 WC campaign- WATCH</strong></a></p>

<p>Kohli, thus, expressed his gratitude for India's outgoing coaching staff and wrote on social media, "Thank you for all the memories and the amazing journey we've had as a team with you all. Your contribution has been immense and will always be remembered in Indian cricket history. Wish you the best moving forward in life. Until next time."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank you for all the memories and the amazing journey we've had as a team with you all. Your contribution has been immense and will always be remembered in Indian cricket history. Wish you the best moving forward in life. Until next time ⭐🤝 <a href="https://t.co/42hx4Q7cfq">pic.twitter.com/42hx4Q7cfq</a></p>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1458292381598371840?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ravi-shastri-bids-adieu-a-look-at-team-indias-performances-across-formats-under-former-head-coach-428081"><strong>Ravi Shastri bids adieu: A look at Team India's performances across formats under former head coach</strong></a></p>

<p>Under Shastri-Arun-Sridhar, Team India excelled across formats and won bilateral ODI series in South Africa, New Zealand, back-to-back Test series in Australia, T20I series in England and dominated at home. They ended as semi-finalists in the 2019 ODI World Cup, runners-up in the WTC final. More than the victories, Shastri ensured India became a well-oiled and competitive side playing both at home and while being on the road. On the other hand, the Indian pacers flourished under Arun whereas Sridhar made India a daunting force to reckon as a fielding unit.</p>

<p>Rahul Dravid will now officially take over from Shastri as India's head coach with the start of their home series versus New Zealand, from November 17.</p>


Virat Kohli-led Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, in the Super 12 round. The one-time winners weren't anywhere close to their best in their opening two fixtures, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, and paid a heavy price as they were shown the exit door in the group stage itself.

Virat Kohli-led Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, in the Super 12 round. The one-time winners weren't anywhere close to their best in their opening two fixtures, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, and paid a heavy price as they were shown the exit door in the group stage itself. While Kohli & Co. did bounce back to win their last three encounters handsomely, it was too late by then as New Zealand and Pakistan confirmed their slots in the semi-finals from the same group, i.e. Pool B. With India's exit, Kohli's tenure as T20I captain came to an end whereas the likes of head coach Ravi Shastri, fielding coach R Sridhar and bowling coach Bharat Arun's respective tenures also concluded. ALSO READ | GOOSEBUMPS! Shastri shares heartfelt speech as outgoing coach post India's T20 WC campaign- WATCH Kohli, thus, expressed his gratitude for India's outgoing coaching staff and wrote on social media, "Thank you for all the memories and the amazing journey we've had as a team with you all. Your contribution has been immense and will always be remembered in Indian cricket history. Wish you the best moving forward in life. Until next time." Thank you for all the memories and the amazing journey we've had as a team with you all. Your contribution has been immense and will always be remembered in Indian cricket history. Wish you the best moving forward in life. Until next time ⭐🤝 pic.twitter.com/42hx4Q7cfq — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 10, 2021 × ALSO READ | Ravi Shastri bids adieu: A look at Team India's performances across formats under former head coach Under Shastri-Arun-Sridhar, Team India excelled across formats and won bilateral ODI series in South Africa, New Zealand, back-to-back Test series in Australia, T20I series in England and dominated at home. They ended as semi-finalists in the 2019 ODI World Cup, runners-up in the WTC final. More than the victories, Shastri ensured India became a well-oiled and competitive side playing both at home and while being on the road. On the other hand, the Indian pacers flourished under Arun whereas Sridhar made India a daunting force to reckon as a fielding unit. Rahul Dravid will now officially take over from Shastri as India's head coach with the start of their home series versus New Zealand, from November 17.

'Your contribution will...' - Virat Kohli pens down heartfelt post for Team India's outgoing coaching staff

<p>Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition in the Super 12 round. With their exit, the respective tenures of head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar also came to an end. The famed trio have been part of the Indian team setup for long and helped the national side scale new heights across formats, both at home and away assignments.</p>

<p>As the outgoing coaching staff bid an emotional farewell, the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has now shared a heartfelt post for Shastri &amp; Co.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rahul-dravid-addresses-indias-fatigue-issue-with-cac-to-work-on-rotation-policy-with-jay-shah-report-428239"><strong>Rahul Dravid addresses India's fatigue issue with CAC, to work on rotation policy with Jay Shah: Report</strong></a></p>

<p>"For the words of support, motivation and encouragement. For the guidance and the tireless work behind the scenes. Thank you Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun,&nbsp;and R Sridhar&nbsp;for your invaluable contribution and good luck for your future endeavours,"&nbsp;Bumrah wrote on Instagram.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CWFqEsNKOcv/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by jasprit bumrah (@jaspritb1)</a></p>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/your-contribution-will-virat-kohli-pens-down-heartfelt-post-for-team-indias-outgoing-coaching-staff-428160"><strong>'Your contribution will...' - Virat Kohli pens down heartfelt post for Team India's outgoing coaching staff</strong></a></p>

<p>Earlier, Virat Kohli had also&nbsp;expressed his gratitude for India's outgoing coaching staff and wrote on social media, "Thank you for all the memories and the amazing journey we've had as a team with you all. Your contribution has been immense and will always be remembered in Indian cricket history. Wish you the best moving forward in life. Until next time."</p>

<p>Under Shastri, India continued to dominate across formats and ended as the semi-finals in the 2019 ODI World Cup and runners-up in the inaugural WTC. Talking about Arun and Sridhar, the former played a huge role in Indian pacers' rise and their performances overseas whereas Sridhar ensured that India became a force to reckon with in the fielding department.</p>

<p>India are now set to start a new era under Shastri's successor Rahul Dravid. He will turn up with his own set of support staff members, however, Vikram Rathour is likely continue to serve as the batting coach after reapplying for the top post recently.&nbsp;</p>


Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition in the Super 12 round. With their exit, the respective tenures of head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar also came to an end.

Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition in the Super 12 round. With their exit, the respective tenures of head coach Ravi Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar also came to an end. The famed trio have been part of the Indian team setup for long and helped the national side scale new heights across formats, both at home and away assignments. As the outgoing coaching staff bid an emotional farewell, the Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has now shared a heartfelt post for Shastri & Co. ALSO READ | Rahul Dravid addresses India's fatigue issue with CAC, to work on rotation policy with Jay Shah: Report "For the words of support, motivation and encouragement. For the guidance and the tireless work behind the scenes. Thank you Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, and R Sridhar for your invaluable contribution and good luck for your future endeavours," Bumrah wrote on Instagram. View this post on Instagram A post shared by jasprit bumrah (@jaspritb1) × ALSO READ | 'Your contribution will...' - Virat Kohli pens down heartfelt post for Team India's outgoing coaching staff Earlier, Virat Kohli had also expressed his gratitude for India's outgoing coaching staff and wrote on social media, "Thank you for all the memories and the amazing journey we've had as a team with you all. Your contribution has been immense and will always be remembered in Indian cricket history. Wish you the best moving forward in life. Until next time." Under Shastri, India continued to dominate across formats and ended as the semi-finals in the 2019 ODI World Cup and runners-up in the inaugural WTC. Talking about Arun and Sridhar, the former played a huge role in Indian pacers' rise and their performances overseas whereas Sridhar ensured that India became a force to reckon with in the fielding department. India are now set to start a new era under Shastri's successor Rahul Dravid. He will turn up with his own set of support staff members, however, Vikram Rathour is likely continue to serve as the batting coach after reapplying for the top post recently.

'Thank you for.....' - Jasprit Bumrah lavishes huge praise on Ravi Shastri-led India's outgoing coaching staff

<p>Virat Kohli-led Team India entered the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 edition being touted as one of the strongest contenders for the coveted title. However, the one-time winners lost two games in a row at the start of their campaign, which dented their overall run immensely. While India recovered and notched up two big wins before their final encounter, they bowed out as soon as New Zealand beat Afghanistan to become the second team from Pool B to qualify for the semi-finals (after Pakistan).</p>

<p>India were out of the semi-finals race with NZ securing 8 points as the Men in Blue could only manage 6 points overall following their last tie, versus Namibia on Monday evening (November 8). After India's untimely exit, Kohli shared a heartfelt note for Team India fans and promised that the team will bounce back emphatically going forward.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/bilateral-success-in-sena-countries-to-run-machine-as-captain-reliving-virat-kohlis-t20i-captaincy-stint-427777#virat-kohli-as-t20i-captain-427732">Bilateral success in SENA countries to run-machine as captain: Reliving Virat Kohli's T20I captaincy stint</a></strong></p>

<p>Kohli tweeted saying, "Together as one we set out to achieve our goal. Unfortunately we fell short and no one is more disappointed than us as a side. The support from all of you has been fantastic and we are grateful for it all. We will aim to come back stronger and put our best foot forward. Jai Hind."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Together as one we set out to achieve our goal.Unfortunately we fell short and no one is more disappointed than us as a side.The support from all of you has been fantastic and we are grateful for it all.We will aim to come back stronger and put our best foot forward. Jai Hind <a href="https://t.co/UMUQgInHrV">pic.twitter.com/UMUQgInHrV</a></p>
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/1457768227585466371?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-explains-why-he-quit-indias-t20i-captaincy-its-been-6-7-years-of-intense-cricket-427830"><strong>Virat Kohli explains why he quit India's T20I captaincy: 'It's been 6-7 years of intense cricket'</strong></a></p>

<p>Following India's exit, Kohli's tenure as India's T20I captain also came to an end. He had already announced, in mid-September, that he will be leading India for the final time in the shortest format. After India's 9-wicket win over Namibia, Kohli said at the post-match presentation at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, "It's been a honor but things need to be kept at the right perspective. I felt this was the right time to manage my workload. It's been six or seven years of heavy workload and there is a lot of pressure. The guys have been fantastic, I know we haven't got the results here but we have played some really good cricket. The guys have really made my work easier."</p>

<p>Kohli led India in 50 matches overall, winning 32 and losing only 16 of them. He ended with a staggering win percentage of 64. Following India's T20 WC 2021 edition, head coach Ravi Shastri's tenure also came to an end and he will be replaced by former Indian captain Rahul Dravid, from the NZ home series in mid-November.</p>


Virat Kohli-led Team India entered the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 edition being touted as one of the strongest contenders for the coveted title. However, the one-time winners lost two games in a row at the start of their campaign, which dented their overall run immensely.

Virat Kohli-led Team India entered the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 edition being touted as one of the strongest contenders for the coveted title. However, the one-time winners lost two games in a row at the start of their campaign, which dented their overall run immensely. While India recovered and notched up two big wins before their final encounter, they bowed out as soon as New Zealand beat Afghanistan to become the second team from Pool B to qualify for the semi-finals (after Pakistan). India were out of the semi-finals race with NZ securing 8 points as the Men in Blue could only manage 6 points overall following their last tie, versus Namibia on Monday evening (November 8). After India's untimely exit, Kohli shared a heartfelt note for Team India fans and promised that the team will bounce back emphatically going forward. ALSO READ | Bilateral success in SENA countries to run-machine as captain: Reliving Virat Kohli's T20I captaincy stint Kohli tweeted saying, "Together as one we set out to achieve our goal. Unfortunately we fell short and no one is more disappointed than us as a side. The support from all of you has been fantastic and we are grateful for it all. We will aim to come back stronger and put our best foot forward. Jai Hind." Together as one we set out to achieve our goal.Unfortunately we fell short and no one is more disappointed than us as a side.The support from all of you has been fantastic and we are grateful for it all.We will aim to come back stronger and put our best foot forward. Jai Hind pic.twitter.com/UMUQgInHrV — Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) November 8, 2021 × ALSO READ | Virat Kohli explains why he quit India's T20I captaincy: 'It's been 6-7 years of intense cricket' Following India's exit, Kohli's tenure as India's T20I captain also came to an end. He had already announced, in mid-September, that he will be leading India for the final time in the shortest format. After India's 9-wicket win over Namibia, Kohli said at the post-match presentation at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, "It's been a honor but things need to be kept at the right perspective. I felt this was the right time to manage my workload. It's been six or seven years of heavy workload and there is a lot of pressure. The guys have been fantastic, I know we haven't got the results here but we have played some really good cricket. The guys have really made my work easier." Kohli led India in 50 matches overall, winning 32 and losing only 16 of them. He ended with a staggering win percentage of 64. Following India's T20 WC 2021 edition, head coach Ravi Shastri's tenure also came to an end and he will be replaced by former Indian captain Rahul Dravid, from the NZ home series in mid-November.

'No one is more disappointed than us' - Kohli pens down emotional note after India's dismal T20 WC

<p>The Indian cricket team bowed out of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 on a winning note after defeating Namibia in their final match of the Super 12 stage. The inaugural champions finished third in Group 2, behind Pakistan and New Zealand, which means they failed to make it to the semi-final of the showpiece event. In the leadership of a talented captain Virat Kohli, the confident Indian cricket team had entered the tournament eying the coveted trophy but it didn't happen. <strong>Or was it overconfidence?</strong>&nbsp;</p>

<p>There's no doubt that India were hot favourites to win in the presence of players, who have been performing well of late. To make the run exciting and to boost the camp's morale, the Indian cricket board decided to include an accomplished player as a mentor of the team. Former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni - with the experience of winning two World Cups as a captain - added the oomph factor as the team's mentor. <strong>Or was it only&nbsp;in black and white?</strong></p>

<p>Ravi Shastri, whose tenure as the head coach of the Indian cricket team ended with India's run in the Twenty20 World Cup 2021, was another factor for the fans to have immense belief in the team as under the guidance of Shastri, India reached new heights as he guided India to became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia (2018-19) and triumphed again Down Under in 2020-21. India emerged as one of the best teams in recent times in red-ball cricket as they climbed to the top of the Test rankings. They even reached the final of the inaugural World Test Championship, where they were beaten by New Zealand.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/virat-kohli-explains-why-he-quit-indias-t20i-captaincy-its-been-6-7-years-of-intense-cricket-427830">Virat Kohli explains why he quit India's T20I captaincy: 'It's been 6-7 years of intense cricket'</a></strong></p>

<p>However, sans trophy, India's performance in white-ball cricket can be a matter of discussion with some positives and some negatives too... considering India also crashed out in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup in England. Shastri must have wished to end his stint with a trophy. <strong>But did he become complacent?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Already announced that he will step down as the captain in Twenty20 format to manage workload, it was Virat's last opportunity to win a T20 international trophy as a skipper, which he deserved and rightly so because for the past few years he has been carrying the team and carrying it well. The level of athleticism he brings with himself is incredible, similar discipline emits from other players also... which is extraordinary. Practice something is one thing, and to make others follow it, is commendable.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Kohli took over the leadership duties across formats from Dhoni in 2017, his announcement to step down as the captain of T20 cricket came as a shock to many, some welcomed it as the decision means India will have new leadership... and change is always better. is also as it is definitely an opportunity. However, the timing of Virat's decision is questionable. <strong>Did Virat's announcement make the dressing room unsettled and less focused?&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p><strong>IN PICS | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/bilateral-success-in-sena-countries-to-run-machine-as-captain-reliving-virat-kohlis-t20i-captaincy-stint-427777">Bilateral success in SENA countries to run-machine as captain: Reliving Virat Kohli's T20I captaincy stint</a></strong></p>

<p>India beat&nbsp;Afghanistan (by 66 runs) and Scotland (by eight wickets) and Namibia (by nine wickets) but the real test was against Pakistan and New Zealand where India suffered a 10-wicket and an eight-wicket loss respectively. In the first two matches that they lost, their body language was just not right, it was nowhere even close to how it has been in the past and how it should be.&nbsp;</p>

<p>All in all, the magic of 'mentor' was missing, the style of the 'skipper' was in short supply and the class of 'coach' was not there.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There's a famous saying that too many cooks spoil the broth and yes, the meal that the Indian team cooked, was definitely not good. The fans didn't like it, the critics didn't appreciate it, even the players must have a bad taste in their mouths.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It's time to retrospect how the tried and 'tasted' recipe failed. How the mystery of a 'mystery spinner' remained an unsolved mystery, how an experienced bowler was unable to bring variations in his bowling, why there's was no replacement of an injured&nbsp;all-rounder?&nbsp;</p>

<p>Now, to understand where the strategy went wrong, the entire team, including the staff members need to go through the 'recipe' again in order to find the missing spice and move on with confidence as a new era awaits. The team and the fans should not dwell in the past.&nbsp;</p>


The Indian cricket team bowed out of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 on a winning note after defeating Namibia in their final match of the Super 12 stage. The inaugural champions finished third in Group 2, behind Pakistan and New Zealand, which means they failed to make it to the semi-final of the showpiece event.

The Indian cricket team bowed out of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2021 on a winning note after defeating Namibia in their final match of the Super 12 stage. The inaugural champions finished third in Group 2, behind Pakistan and New Zealand, which means they failed to make it to the semi-final of the showpiece event. In the leadership of a talented captain Virat Kohli, the confident Indian cricket team had entered the tournament eying the coveted trophy but it didn't happen. Or was it overconfidence? There's no doubt that India were hot favourites to win in the presence of players, who have been performing well of late. To make the run exciting and to boost the camp's morale, the Indian cricket board decided to include an accomplished player as a mentor of the team. Former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni - with the experience of winning two World Cups as a captain - added the oomph factor as the team's mentor. Or was it only in black and white? Ravi Shastri, whose tenure as the head coach of the Indian cricket team ended with India's run in the Twenty20 World Cup 2021, was another factor for the fans to have immense belief in the team as under the guidance of Shastri, India reached new heights as he guided India to became the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia (2018-19) and triumphed again Down Under in 2020-21. India emerged as one of the best teams in recent times in red-ball cricket as they climbed to the top of the Test rankings. They even reached the final of the inaugural World Test Championship, where they were beaten by New Zealand. ALSO READ | Virat Kohli explains why he quit India's T20I captaincy: 'It's been 6-7 years of intense cricket' However, sans trophy, India's performance in white-ball cricket can be a matter of discussion with some positives and some negatives too... considering India also crashed out in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Cup in England. Shastri must have wished to end his stint with a trophy. But did he become complacent? Already announced that he will step down as the captain in Twenty20 format to manage workload, it was Virat's last opportunity to win a T20 international trophy as a skipper, which he deserved and rightly so because for the past few years he has been carrying the team and carrying it well. The level of athleticism he brings with himself is incredible, similar discipline emits from other players also... which is extraordinary. Practice something is one thing, and to make others follow it, is commendable. Kohli took over the leadership duties across formats from Dhoni in 2017, his announcement to step down as the captain of T20 cricket came as a shock to many, some welcomed it as the decision means India will have new leadership... and change is always better. is also as it is definitely an opportunity. However, the timing of Virat's decision is questionable. Did Virat's announcement make the dressing room unsettled and less focused? IN PICS | Bilateral success in SENA countries to run-machine as captain: Reliving Virat Kohli's T20I captaincy stint India beat Afghanistan (by 66 runs) and Scotland (by eight wickets) and Namibia (by nine wickets) but the real test was against Pakistan and New Zealand where India suffered a 10-wicket and an eight-wicket loss respectively. In the first two matches that they lost, their body language was just not right, it was nowhere even close to how it has been in the past and how it should be. All in all, the magic of 'mentor' was missing, the style of the 'skipper' was in short supply and the class of 'coach' was not there. There's a famous saying that too many cooks spoil the broth and yes, the meal that the Indian team cooked, was definitely not good. The fans didn't like it, the critics didn't appreciate it, even the players must have a bad taste in their mouths. It's time to retrospect how the tried and 'tasted' recipe failed. How the mystery of a 'mystery spinner' remained an unsolved mystery, how an experienced bowler was unable to bring variations in his bowling, why there's was no replacement of an injured all-rounder? Now, to understand where the strategy went wrong, the entire team, including the staff members need to go through the 'recipe' again in order to find the missing spice and move on with confidence as a new era awaits. The team and the fans should not dwell in the past.

A captain, a mentor and a coach: Too many cooks messed up the meal?

<p>Ravi Shastri's tenure as the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team came to an end on Monday (November 08) with the team's emphatic nine-wicket win over Namibia in their final Super 12 clash of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. Shastri's contract with the Indian team was set to expire post the T20 World Cup this year.</p>

<p>He was appointed as the full-time head coach of Team India in 2017, replacing Anil Kumble at the helm after India's defeat against Pakistan in the final of the Champions Trophy 2017. Under Shastri and captain Virat Kohli, Team India made giant strides in world cricket and became a force to reckon with across all formats.</p>

<p>India recorded some memorable victories in all three formats of the game at home and overseas. India won the Asia Cup in 2018 which remains the biggest trophy of Shastri's era while also becoming the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia in 2019. India made it back-to-back Test series wins in Australia with another memorable triumph earlier this year.</p>

<p>While Shastri failed to inspire India to a major ICC trophy despite coming close on a few occasions, the Indian team fared well across all three formats in his tenure. Here is a look at how Team India performed under head coach Shastri in Tests, ODIs and T20Is.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/a-look-at-ravi-shastris-top-achievements-as-india-head-coach-425093">&nbsp;A look at Ravi Shastri's top achievements as India head coach</a></strong></p>

<h3><strong>Ravi Shastri's report card as India's head coach:</strong></h3>

<p><b>Tests -&nbsp;43 matches, 25 wins, 13 losses, 5 draws</b></p>

<p>India were one of the best teams in the world under Shastri's tenure as they dominated the ICC Test rankings and were the no.1 team for several months. India won back-to-back Test series in Australia and were 2-1 ahead in the Test series in England earlier this year.</p>

<p>India also reached the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) but missed out on the trophy after losing against New Zealand by 8 wickets in the summit clash. India played a total of 43 Tests under Shastri as head coach, winning 25 matches and losing 13. 5 games ended in a draw.</p>

<p><strong>ODIs - 76 matches, 51 wins, 22 losses, 2 tied, 1 no-result</strong></p>

<p>India also dominated the proceedings in ODIs under Shastri. With Virat Kohli leading the side from the front, the Men in Blue finished on top of the points table in the group stages of the ODI World Cup in 2019 and were favourites to clinch the title before losing against New Zealand in the semi-finals.</p>

<p>India semi-finals finish at the ODI World Cup in 2019, and the Asia Cup triumph in 2018 remains Shastri's best achievements as a head coach as far as ODIs are concerned. India won an impressive 51 matches out of 76 ODIs under Shastri with 22 games ending in a defeat and three matches without a result.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/rahul-dravid-likely-to-replace-ravi-shastri-a-look-at-his-achievements-as-a-coach-421553">A look at Rahul Dravid's&nbsp;achievements as a coach</a></strong></p>

<p><strong>T20Is - 64 matches, 42 wins, 18 losses, 2 tied, 2 no-result</strong></p>

<p>India might have endured a disappointing campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 which was Shastri's first and last major T20 tournament as the head coach of the team, but they were a dominant force in the shortest format in the build-up to the showpiece event.</p>

<p>India won the Nidahas Trophy t20 tournament in 2018 under Shastri's coaching and Rohit Sharma's captaincy. India played 64 T20Is under Shastri, winning a staggering 42 games and losing only 18 matches. India clean swept New Zealand 5-0 in a T20I series in their own backyard last year and also defeated Australia in 2-1 in a T20I series on Australian soil in 2019.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-named-captain-gaikwad-avesh-harshal-make-the-cut-in-indias-15-man-squad-for-new-zealand-t20is-428049">Rohit named captain; Gaikwad, Avesh, Harshal make the cut in India's 15-man squad for NZ&nbsp;T20Is</a></p>

<p>Shastri will be replaced by the legendary Rahul Dravid, who has already been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian team while Rohit will be leading the side in T20Is after Kohli stepped down as the T20I captain of the side. Rohit and Dravid's first major assignment will be the New Zealand T20I series which gets underway from November 17.</p>

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Ravi Shastri's tenure as the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team came to an end on Monday (November 08) with the team's emphatic nine-wicket win over Namibia in their final Super 12 clash of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021.

Ravi Shastri's tenure as the head coach of the Indian men's cricket team came to an end on Monday (November 08) with the team's emphatic nine-wicket win over Namibia in their final Super 12 clash of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. Shastri's contract with the Indian team was set to expire post the T20 World Cup this year. He was appointed as the full-time head coach of Team India in 2017, replacing Anil Kumble at the helm after India's defeat against Pakistan in the final of the Champions Trophy 2017. Under Shastri and captain Virat Kohli, Team India made giant strides in world cricket and became a force to reckon with across all formats. India recorded some memorable victories in all three formats of the game at home and overseas. India won the Asia Cup in 2018 which remains the biggest trophy of Shastri's era while also becoming the first Asian team to win a Test series in Australia in 2019. India made it back-to-back Test series wins in Australia with another memorable triumph earlier this year. While Shastri failed to inspire India to a major ICC trophy despite coming close on a few occasions, the Indian team fared well across all three formats in his tenure. Here is a look at how Team India performed under head coach Shastri in Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Also Read: A look at Ravi Shastri's top achievements as India head coach Ravi Shastri's report card as India's head coach: Tests - 43 matches, 25 wins, 13 losses, 5 draws India were one of the best teams in the world under Shastri's tenure as they dominated the ICC Test rankings and were the no.1 team for several months. India won back-to-back Test series in Australia and were 2-1 ahead in the Test series in England earlier this year. India also reached the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) but missed out on the trophy after losing against New Zealand by 8 wickets in the summit clash. India played a total of 43 Tests under Shastri as head coach, winning 25 matches and losing 13. 5 games ended in a draw. ODIs - 76 matches, 51 wins, 22 losses, 2 tied, 1 no-result India also dominated the proceedings in ODIs under Shastri. With Virat Kohli leading the side from the front, the Men in Blue finished on top of the points table in the group stages of the ODI World Cup in 2019 and were favourites to clinch the title before losing against New Zealand in the semi-finals. India semi-finals finish at the ODI World Cup in 2019, and the Asia Cup triumph in 2018 remains Shastri's best achievements as a head coach as far as ODIs are concerned. India won an impressive 51 matches out of 76 ODIs under Shastri with 22 games ending in a defeat and three matches without a result. Also Read: A look at Rahul Dravid's achievements as a coach T20Is - 64 matches, 42 wins, 18 losses, 2 tied, 2 no-result India might have endured a disappointing campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 which was Shastri's first and last major T20 tournament as the head coach of the team, but they were a dominant force in the shortest format in the build-up to the showpiece event. India won the Nidahas Trophy t20 tournament in 2018 under Shastri's coaching and Rohit Sharma's captaincy. India played 64 T20Is under Shastri, winning a staggering 42 games and losing only 18 matches. India clean swept New Zealand 5-0 in a T20I series in their own backyard last year and also defeated Australia in 2-1 in a T20I series on Australian soil in 2019. Also Read: Rohit named captain; Gaikwad, Avesh, Harshal make the cut in India's 15-man squad for NZ T20Is Shastri will be replaced by the legendary Rahul Dravid, who has already been appointed as the new head coach of the Indian team while Rohit will be leading the side in T20Is after Kohli stepped down as the T20I captain of the side. Rohit and Dravid's first major assignment will be the New Zealand T20I series which gets underway from November 17. ×

Ravi Shastri bids adieu: A look at Team India's performances across formats under former head coach

<p>Pakistan captain Babar Azam agreed with outgoing India head coach Ravi Shastri on Tuesday that competing in bio-bubbles is difficult for players since it might leave them "disturbed and uncomfortable"</p>

<p>Shastri stated before India's last T20 World Cup game against Namibia that his players were psychologically and physically fatigued after six months of bubble life and that a lengthier break between the IPL and the ICC event would have been beneficial.</p>

<p>For the first time since 2012, India did not advance to the semifinals of an ICC event.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/a-big-shout-out-to-virat-kohli-kl-rahul-lauds-indias-outgoing-t20i-captain-in-a-heartfelt-post-428060">'A big shout-out to Virat Kohli' - KL Rahul lauds India's outgoing T20I captain in a heartfelt post</a></strong></p>

<p>"Look they are always ups and downs in professional cricket but yes players do get disturbed and uncomfortable by remaining constantly in a bio-secure bubble environment,"&nbsp;Babar said in a virtual press conference before his team's semifinal match against Australia on Thursday.</p>

<p>"We have tried to counter that by working as a group and trying to support each other in the Pakistan team," he explained.</p>

<p>The Pakistan captain stated that it has been difficult for the players to remain in an enclosed atmosphere since last year. Since the COVID-19 epidemic caused disturbances, bio-bubbles have become the norm.</p>

<p>"As a player you need to relax and be ready to absorb the pressure. But at times when things are not going well you need space and you need to refresh, go out."</p>

<p>"If you can't get out of the bubble, negative thoughts do enter your mind and affect your performances," he explained.</p>

<p>According to Babar, Pakistan attempted to overcome the problem by working as a group with experienced players, even organising therapy sessions for those who did not feel comfortable in the bubble.</p>

<p>"We all try to talk to each other all the time in groups and help out each other by lifting each other and it allows us to relax and encourage as well," he added.</p>

<p>Babar also stated that he is enjoying&nbsp;the opportunity to represent Pakistan in all three forms.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-one-is-more-disappointed-than-us-kohli-pens-down-emotional-note-after-indias-dismal-t20-wc-427901">&nbsp;<strong>'No one is more disappointed than us' - Kohli pens down emotional note after India's dismal T20 WC</strong></a></p>

<p>"We have performed well so far in every match we want to carry the same momentum into the semi-finals. As a group we have done our best and everyone has given his best but every match is a new challenge and this is T20 cricket you have to remain sharp on the given day," he said.</p>

<p>Babar stated that the team's hard work and efforts in winning its five Super-12 group stage matches will now be put to the test in the semi-final versus Australia. The great hitter stated that he is not afraid to make tough decisions in order to help the team prosper.</p>

<p>Babar attributed Pakistan's success in the huge event to the team's core of 8-9 players who had been together for three-four years and knew each other extremely well.</p>

<p>"Everyone takes responsibility, everyone's role is clear. In the semifinals, we want to continue positively but it is all about how you perform on the day."</p>


Pakistan captain Babar Azam agreed with outgoing India head coach Ravi Shastri on Tuesday that competing in bio-bubbles is difficult for players since it might leave them "disturbed and uncomfortable" Shastri stated before India's last T20 World Cup game against Namibia that his players were psychologically and physically fatigued after six months of bubble life and that a lengthier break between the IPL and the ICC event would have been beneficial.

Pakistan captain Babar Azam agreed with outgoing India head coach Ravi Shastri on Tuesday that competing in bio-bubbles is difficult for players since it might leave them "disturbed and uncomfortable" Shastri stated before India's last T20 World Cup game against Namibia that his players were psychologically and physically fatigued after six months of bubble life and that a lengthier break between the IPL and the ICC event would have been beneficial. For the first time since 2012, India did not advance to the semifinals of an ICC event. ALSO READ: 'A big shout-out to Virat Kohli' - KL Rahul lauds India's outgoing T20I captain in a heartfelt post "Look they are always ups and downs in professional cricket but yes players do get disturbed and uncomfortable by remaining constantly in a bio-secure bubble environment," Babar said in a virtual press conference before his team's semifinal match against Australia on Thursday. "We have tried to counter that by working as a group and trying to support each other in the Pakistan team," he explained. The Pakistan captain stated that it has been difficult for the players to remain in an enclosed atmosphere since last year. Since the COVID-19 epidemic caused disturbances, bio-bubbles have become the norm. "As a player you need to relax and be ready to absorb the pressure. But at times when things are not going well you need space and you need to refresh, go out." "If you can't get out of the bubble, negative thoughts do enter your mind and affect your performances," he explained. According to Babar, Pakistan attempted to overcome the problem by working as a group with experienced players, even organising therapy sessions for those who did not feel comfortable in the bubble. "We all try to talk to each other all the time in groups and help out each other by lifting each other and it allows us to relax and encourage as well," he added. Babar also stated that he is enjoying the opportunity to represent Pakistan in all three forms. ALSO READ | 'No one is more disappointed than us' - Kohli pens down emotional note after India's dismal T20 WC "We have performed well so far in every match we want to carry the same momentum into the semi-finals. As a group we have done our best and everyone has given his best but every match is a new challenge and this is T20 cricket you have to remain sharp on the given day," he said. Babar stated that the team's hard work and efforts in winning its five Super-12 group stage matches will now be put to the test in the semi-final versus Australia. The great hitter stated that he is not afraid to make tough decisions in order to help the team prosper. Babar attributed Pakistan's success in the huge event to the team's core of 8-9 players who had been together for three-four years and knew each other extremely well. "Everyone takes responsibility, everyone's role is clear. In the semifinals, we want to continue positively but it is all about how you perform on the day."

'Players do get uncomfortable': Pakistan skipper Babar Azam supports Ravi Shastri's bio-bubble claims

<p>Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, on Monday evening (November 9). The one-time winners failed to get going in their first two matches, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, and paid a heavy price as they got eliminated in the Super 12 round despite many backing them to go the distance. While the Men in Blue did recover in style, with three back-to-back big wins, it was too late as New Zealand and Pakistan had sealed the two semi-final spots from Pool B by then.</p>

<p>India defeated Namibia by nine wickets, in pursuit of 133 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, and signed off on a high. With India's exit, Virat Kohli's tenure as a T20I captain also came to an end as he had already announced that the showpiece event would be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format. Kohli ended his stint as T20I captain by leading the Men in Blue in 50 matches, leading them to 32 wins and 16 losses. Post his end of tenure, opening batsman KL Rahul lauded the 33-year-old for his overall contributions courtesy a heartfelt post.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-one-is-more-disappointed-than-us-kohli-pens-down-emotional-note-after-indias-dismal-t20-wc-427901">&nbsp;<strong>'No one is more disappointed than us' - Kohli pens down emotional note after India's dismal T20 WC</strong></a></p>

<p>Rahul reflected on India's dismal campaign and thanked Kohli by tweeting, "Not the ideal World Cup for us, but we learn and grow. Grateful to all our fans for the love and support. Thank you to our coaches for helping us grow as cricketers. A big shout-out to @imVkohli for being a leader who led by example and for everything you have done for us."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Not the ideal World Cup for us, but we learn and grow.<br />
Grateful to all our fans for the love and support.<br />
Thank you to our coaches for helping us grow as cricketers. A big shout-out to <a href="https://twitter.com/imVkohli?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@imVkohli</a> for being a leader who led by example and for everything you have done for us. <a href="https://t.co/oejHdUvCZ8">pic.twitter.com/oejHdUvCZ8</a></p>
— K L Rahul (@klrahul11) <a href="https://twitter.com/klrahul11/status/1457984677478760451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/thats-the-problem-with-team-india-nasser-hussain-decodes-reason-behind-kohli-cos-t20-wc-debacle-428038"><strong>That's the problem with Team India: Nasser Hussain decodes reason behind Kohli &amp; Co.'s T20 WC debacle</strong></a></p>

<p>After India's resounding victory&nbsp;over Namibia, Kohli said at the post-match presentation, "It's been a honor but things need to be kept at the right perspective. I felt this was the right time to manage my workload. It's been six or seven years of heavy workload and there is a lot of pressure. The guys have been fantastic, I know we haven't got the results here but we have played some really good cricket. The guys have really made my work easier."</p>

<p>Post India's exit from the T20 WC, Rohit Sharma and Rahul have been named captain and vice-captain, respectively, for the national side's next T20I assignment where they will face New Zealand at home, from November 17. Rohit has officially taken over from Virat in the format whereas he will have Rahul as his deputy in his first series as full-time T20I skipper.</p>

<p><strong>India’s T20I squad for New Zealand series</strong></p>

<p>Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammed&nbsp;Siraj</p>


Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, on Monday evening (November 9). The one-time winners failed to get going in their first two matches, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, and paid a heavy price as they got eliminated in the Super 12 round despite many backing them to go the distance.

Team India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 edition, being held in the UAE, on Monday evening (November 9). The one-time winners failed to get going in their first two matches, versus Pakistan and New Zealand respectively, and paid a heavy price as they got eliminated in the Super 12 round despite many backing them to go the distance. While the Men in Blue did recover in style, with three back-to-back big wins, it was too late as New Zealand and Pakistan had sealed the two semi-final spots from Pool B by then. India defeated Namibia by nine wickets, in pursuit of 133 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai, and signed off on a high. With India's exit, Virat Kohli's tenure as a T20I captain also came to an end as he had already announced that the showpiece event would be his last assignment as the captain in the shortest format. Kohli ended his stint as T20I captain by leading the Men in Blue in 50 matches, leading them to 32 wins and 16 losses. Post his end of tenure, opening batsman KL Rahul lauded the 33-year-old for his overall contributions courtesy a heartfelt post. ALSO READ | 'No one is more disappointed than us' - Kohli pens down emotional note after India's dismal T20 WC Rahul reflected on India's dismal campaign and thanked Kohli by tweeting, "Not the ideal World Cup for us, but we learn and grow. Grateful to all our fans for the love and support. Thank you to our coaches for helping us grow as cricketers. A big shout-out to @imVkohli for being a leader who led by example and for everything you have done for us." Not the ideal World Cup for us, but we learn and grow. Grateful to all our fans for the love and support. Thank you to our coaches for helping us grow as cricketers. A big shout-out to @imVkohli for being a leader who led by example and for everything you have done for us. pic.twitter.com/oejHdUvCZ8 — K L Rahul (@klrahul11) November 9, 2021 × ALSO READ | That's the problem with Team India: Nasser Hussain decodes reason behind Kohli & Co.'s T20 WC debacle After India's resounding victory over Namibia, Kohli said at the post-match presentation, "It's been a honor but things need to be kept at the right perspective. I felt this was the right time to manage my workload. It's been six or seven years of heavy workload and there is a lot of pressure. The guys have been fantastic, I know we haven't got the results here but we have played some really good cricket. The guys have really made my work easier." Post India's exit from the T20 WC, Rohit Sharma and Rahul have been named captain and vice-captain, respectively, for the national side's next T20I assignment where they will face New Zealand at home, from November 17. Rohit has officially taken over from Virat in the format whereas he will have Rahul as his deputy in his first series as full-time T20I skipper. India’s T20I squad for New Zealand series Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (Vice-Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Venkatesh Iyer, Yuzvendra Chahal, R Ashwin, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Siraj

'A big shout-out to Virat Kohli' - KL Rahul lauds India's outgoing T20I captain in a heartfelt post

<p>Outgoing India head coach Ravi Shastri said even the legendary Don Bradman's average would have dropped had he been put into a bio-secure bubble during his playing days. The Australian batting legend owns the record for the highest ever batting average in Tests at 99.94 with an impressive 6996 runs in 52 matches including 29 centuries and 13 half-centuries to his name.</p>

<p>Shastri stepped down from the post of Indian cricket team's head coach after the team's final Super 12 clash against Namibia in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 on Monday (November 08) as the Men in Blue bowed out from the group stages. Shastri spoke about the bio-bubble fatigue faced by a majority of Indian players, who play all three formats of the game.</p>

<p>The outgoing head coach said the players had been home for only 25 days in the last two years and have been playing in restricted bio-bubbles continuously for the last six months which&nbsp;has taken a toll on their mental and physical health. He said the performances are bound to come down when the players are kept in strict bubbles.</p>

<p>"When you are six months in the bubble, there are lots of players in this team who are all-format players. In the last 24 months, they have been home for 25 days. I do not care who you are, if you`re name is Bradman and you are in a bubble, your average will come down because you are human. It is not something you put petrol in the backside and expect the guy to move on," Shastri said on Monday ahead of his last game in charge of Team India.</p>

<p>"It does not happen that way. These are tough times, in life, it is not what you accomplish, it is what you overcome and this is what this team has shown. They have shown the drive to hang in there. No complaints but sooner or later the bubble will burst, so you have to be careful," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/goosebumps-shastri-shares-heartfelt-speech-as-outgoing-coach-post-indias-t20-wc-campaign-watch-427919">GOOSEBUMPS! Shastri shares heartfelt speech as outgoing coach post India's T20 WC campaign</a></p>

<p>Shastri was appointed as India's full-time head coach in 2017 before his contract was renewed post the ODI World Cup in 2019. Under his tenure, India registered some memorable series wins at home and away from home, including back-to-back Test series wins in Australia.</p>

<p>In 2018, India won the Asia Cup under Rohit Sharma's captain which remains Shastri's only major trophy as the head coach of the Indian team. However, he would regret failing to inspire the team to a major ICC trophy during his stint.</p>

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Outgoing India head coach Ravi Shastri said even the legendary Don Bradman's average would have dropped had he been put into a bio-secure bubble during his playing days.

Outgoing India head coach Ravi Shastri said even the legendary Don Bradman's average would have dropped had he been put into a bio-secure bubble during his playing days. The Australian batting legend owns the record for the highest ever batting average in Tests at 99.94 with an impressive 6996 runs in 52 matches including 29 centuries and 13 half-centuries to his name. Shastri stepped down from the post of Indian cricket team's head coach after the team's final Super 12 clash against Namibia in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 on Monday (November 08) as the Men in Blue bowed out from the group stages. Shastri spoke about the bio-bubble fatigue faced by a majority of Indian players, who play all three formats of the game. The outgoing head coach said the players had been home for only 25 days in the last two years and have been playing in restricted bio-bubbles continuously for the last six months which has taken a toll on their mental and physical health. He said the performances are bound to come down when the players are kept in strict bubbles. "When you are six months in the bubble, there are lots of players in this team who are all-format players. In the last 24 months, they have been home for 25 days. I do not care who you are, if you`re name is Bradman and you are in a bubble, your average will come down because you are human. It is not something you put petrol in the backside and expect the guy to move on," Shastri said on Monday ahead of his last game in charge of Team India. "It does not happen that way. These are tough times, in life, it is not what you accomplish, it is what you overcome and this is what this team has shown. They have shown the drive to hang in there. No complaints but sooner or later the bubble will burst, so you have to be careful," he added. Also Read: GOOSEBUMPS! Shastri shares heartfelt speech as outgoing coach post India's T20 WC campaign Shastri was appointed as India's full-time head coach in 2017 before his contract was renewed post the ODI World Cup in 2019. Under his tenure, India registered some memorable series wins at home and away from home, including back-to-back Test series wins in Australia. In 2018, India won the Asia Cup under Rohit Sharma's captain which remains Shastri's only major trophy as the head coach of the Indian team. However, he would regret failing to inspire the team to a major ICC trophy during his stint. ×

I don't care who you are, even if you put Don Bradman in a bubble his average will drop: Ravi Shastri

<p>Virat Kohli-led India ended their dismal T20 World Cup 2021 campaign after bowing out of the showpiece event in the Super 12 round. As soon as New Zealand beat Afghanistan and confirmed their semi-finals slot, on Sunday (November 7), India stood eliminated&nbsp;(with Pakistan being the first side to have already confirmed their last four slot from Pool B). Despite a nine-wicket win over Namibia in their last group stage encounter, on Monday evening (November 8) at Dubai, India ended with 6 points and bowed out of the seventh edition of the mega event.</p>

<p>Following India's exit, Kohli's tenure as the T20I captain also came to an end. He had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last assignment as India's skipper in the shortest format. On the other hand, Ravi Shastri's tenure as the head coach also came to an end. For the unversed, the former all-rounder didn't extend his contract post the T20 WC.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/no-one-is-more-disappointed-than-us-kohli-pens-down-emotional-note-after-indias-dismal-t20-wc-427901"><strong>'No one is more disappointed than us' - Kohli pens down emotional note after India's dismal T20 WC</strong></a></p>

<p>After India's win over Namibia, Shastri gave an inspiring speech to the Indian team players in the dressing room and reflected on the team's journey under his coaching. He told, “You guys as a team have over exceeded my expectations with the way you have played. Over the last few years, to go across the globe, across all formats, and beat everyone, makes you one of the great teams that have played the game. This will go down as one of the great teams that have played the game over the last 5-6 years across all formats because there are results to be seen,” Shastri was quoted as saying.</p>

<p>“Yes, we did not have a great tournament. We could have won one or two ICC tournaments, didn’t happen. But that’s sport. You will get another chance. You will be wiser and more experienced when the next opportunity comes. But, for me, the most important thing in life is not what you accomplish, it’s what you overcome that override everything else,” he added. <strong>Here's the video of his speech, shared on Team India's official Instagram handle:</strong></p>

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<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/bilateral-success-in-sena-countries-to-run-machine-as-captain-reliving-virat-kohlis-t20i-captaincy-stint-427777#virat-kohli-as-t20i-captain-427732"><strong>Bilateral success in SENA countries to run-machine as captain: Reliving Virat Kohli's T20I captaincy stint</strong></a></p>

<p>Shastri took over as India's head coach, from Anil Kumble, post the 2017 Champions Trophy. Under Shastri, India had a great run across formats, winning 119 games and losing 53 in 184 matches overall. Shastri guided India to the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-finals and inaugural WTC final. Under him, India won two Test series in a row in Australia, whitewashed New Zealand 5-0 in T20Is in early 2020, won bilateral ODIs in South Africa and Australia, demolished West Indies and Sri Lanka (both at home and away).</p>

<p>Along with Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar's respective tenures also came to an end.</p>


Virat Kohli-led India ended their dismal T20 World Cup 2021 campaign after bowing out of the showpiece event in the Super 12 round. As soon as New Zealand beat Afghanistan and confirmed their semi-finals slot, on Sunday (November 7), India stood eliminated (with Pakistan being the first side to have already confirmed their last four slot from Pool B).

Virat Kohli-led India ended their dismal T20 World Cup 2021 campaign after bowing out of the showpiece event in the Super 12 round. As soon as New Zealand beat Afghanistan and confirmed their semi-finals slot, on Sunday (November 7), India stood eliminated (with Pakistan being the first side to have already confirmed their last four slot from Pool B). Despite a nine-wicket win over Namibia in their last group stage encounter, on Monday evening (November 8) at Dubai, India ended with 6 points and bowed out of the seventh edition of the mega event. Following India's exit, Kohli's tenure as the T20I captain also came to an end. He had already announced that the T20 WC will be his last assignment as India's skipper in the shortest format. On the other hand, Ravi Shastri's tenure as the head coach also came to an end. For the unversed, the former all-rounder didn't extend his contract post the T20 WC. ALSO READ | 'No one is more disappointed than us' - Kohli pens down emotional note after India's dismal T20 WC After India's win over Namibia, Shastri gave an inspiring speech to the Indian team players in the dressing room and reflected on the team's journey under his coaching. He told, “You guys as a team have over exceeded my expectations with the way you have played. Over the last few years, to go across the globe, across all formats, and beat everyone, makes you one of the great teams that have played the game. This will go down as one of the great teams that have played the game over the last 5-6 years across all formats because there are results to be seen,” Shastri was quoted as saying. “Yes, we did not have a great tournament. We could have won one or two ICC tournaments, didn’t happen. But that’s sport. You will get another chance. You will be wiser and more experienced when the next opportunity comes. But, for me, the most important thing in life is not what you accomplish, it’s what you overcome that override everything else,” he added. Here's the video of his speech, shared on Team India's official Instagram handle: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Team India (@indiancricketteam) × ALSO READ | Bilateral success in SENA countries to run-machine as captain: Reliving Virat Kohli's T20I captaincy stint Shastri took over as India's head coach, from Anil Kumble, post the 2017 Champions Trophy. Under Shastri, India had a great run across formats, winning 119 games and losing 53 in 184 matches overall. Shastri guided India to the 2019 ODI World Cup semi-finals and inaugural WTC final. Under him, India won two Test series in a row in Australia, whitewashed New Zealand 5-0 in T20Is in early 2020, won bilateral ODIs in South Africa and Australia, demolished West Indies and Sri Lanka (both at home and away). Along with Shastri, bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar's respective tenures also came to an end.

GOOSEBUMPS! Shastri shares heartfelt speech as outgoing coach post India's T20 WC campaign- WATCH

<p>India head coach Ravi Shastri said he was&nbsp;mentally drained ahead of his last game in charge of the team. India locked horns with Namibia in their final Super 12 game in the T20 World Cup 2021 on Monday (November 08). The game is all set to be Shastri's last as the head coach of the team as the Men in Blue have already been knocked out of the tournament after two defeats and two wins in their first four matches.</p>

<p>India's fate rested on the shoulders of Afghanistan, who lost their final Super 12 game against New Zealand on Sunday to confirm India's ouster from the tournament. Shastri, who had been appointed as India's full-time head coach in the year 2017, said his players are mentally and physically drained and that the Indian team would have ideally liked a bigger gap between the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and the T20 World Cup 2021.</p>

<p>The second phase of IPL 2021 concluded on October 15th while India's campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 began just eight days later with a high-profile clash against Pakistan in Dubai on October 24th. While Shastri insisted a bigger break would have been ideal, he said it was not an excuse from his side and that the Indian team is not scared of losing while trying to win.</p>

<p>"I am mentally drained but I expect that at my age. 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 ahead of India's game against Namibia on Monday.</p>

<p>"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. Here we didn't try to win because that X-factor was missing," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/should-virat-kohli-also-step-down-as-odi-test-captain-fan-asks-virender-sehwag-former-opener-responds-427737">Should Kohli also step down as ODI &amp; Test captain: Fan asks Sehwag, former opener responds</a></p>

<p>India lost their opening game against Pakistan by ten wickets at the T20 World Cup 2021 before going down by eight wickets against New Zealand in their next game to be pushed on the brink of an early elimination. However, the Indian team bounced back with two big wins in a row against Afghanistan and Scotland in their next two games to remain alive in the race for the semi-finals.</p>

<p>On Sunday, India's exit was confirmed after Afghanistan's 8-wicket loss against New Zealand. India will look to finish their campaign with a win against Namibia in their final Super 12 game on Monday.</p>

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India head coach Ravi Shastri said he was mentally drained ahead of his last game in charge of the team. India locked horns with Namibia in their final Super 12 game in the T20 World Cup 2021 on Monday (November 08).

India head coach Ravi Shastri said he was mentally drained ahead of his last game in charge of the team. India locked horns with Namibia in their final Super 12 game in the T20 World Cup 2021 on Monday (November 08). The game is all set to be Shastri's last as the head coach of the team as the Men in Blue have already been knocked out of the tournament after two defeats and two wins in their first four matches. India's fate rested on the shoulders of Afghanistan, who lost their final Super 12 game against New Zealand on Sunday to confirm India's ouster from the tournament. Shastri, who had been appointed as India's full-time head coach in the year 2017, said his players are mentally and physically drained and that the Indian team would have ideally liked a bigger gap between the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 and the T20 World Cup 2021. The second phase of IPL 2021 concluded on October 15th while India's campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 began just eight days later with a high-profile clash against Pakistan in Dubai on October 24th. While Shastri insisted a bigger break would have been ideal, he said it was not an excuse from his side and that the Indian team is not scared of losing while trying to win. "I am mentally drained but I expect that at my age. 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 ahead of India's game against Namibia on Monday. "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. Here we didn't try to win because that X-factor was missing," he added. Also Read: Should Kohli also step down as ODI & Test captain: Fan asks Sehwag, former opener responds India lost their opening game against Pakistan by ten wickets at the T20 World Cup 2021 before going down by eight wickets against New Zealand in their next game to be pushed on the brink of an early elimination. However, the Indian team bounced back with two big wins in a row against Afghanistan and Scotland in their next two games to remain alive in the race for the semi-finals. On Sunday, India's exit was confirmed after Afghanistan's 8-wicket loss against New Zealand. India will look to finish their campaign with a win against Namibia in their final Super 12 game on Monday. ×

Not an excuse, but would have liked bigger gap between IPL and T20 World Cup 2021: Ravi Shastri

<p>Ravi Shastri is all set to step down from his post of India head coach at the end of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. His contract expires after the conclusion of the tournament and Shastri will be looking for new challenges as he part ways with the Indian team. He will be replaced by the legendary Rahul Dravid, who has been already confirmed to take over as the new head coach of the Indian men's cricket team ahead of the start of the New Zealand series at home later this month.</p>

<p>Shastri was asked about his tenure as the head coach of the Indian side as Virat Kohli &amp; Co. took the field against Namibia on Monday (November 08) after bowing out of the T20 World Cup 2021. The Nambia game is set to be Shastri's last as the head coach of the Indian team and Kohli's last as the captain of the T20I side. Kohli has also confirmed he will be stepping down as India's T20I captain at the end of the ongoing tournament.</p>

<p>Reacting to Dravid's appointment as the new head coach of the team, Shastri said the batting legend will be inheriting a great team and can only raise the bar in the future. Shastri said Dravid will be inheriting a team that is not in transition and wished him to take Indian cricket to greater hieghts.</p>

<p>"In Rahul Dravid, they've got a guy who has inherited a great team and I think with his experience, he can only raise the bar in time to come. There are still players here who will play for another 3-4 years which is very important. It is not a team in transition and that'll make the biggest difference," Shastri said ahead of his last game as India's head coach.</p>

<p>"Virat is still there, he has done a fantastic job as the leader of the side, he's been the biggest ambassador for Test cricket over the last five years. Lot of credit goes to him in the way he's thought about how he wants the team to play the game and how the team has rallied around him," he added.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/should-virat-kohli-also-step-down-as-odi-test-captain-fan-asks-virender-sehwag-former-opener-responds-427737">Should Kohli also step down as ODI &amp; Test captain: Fan asks&nbsp;Sehwag, former opener responds</a></strong></p>

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<p>Shastri was appointed as India's full-time head coach in 2017 and his contract was renewed post the conclusion of the ODI World Cup in 2019. Under Shastri, India dominated in Tests, staying at the top of the Test rankings for several months while also registering some memorable Test series wins at home and overseas.</p>

<p>The Asia Cup triumph under Rohit Sharma in 2018 remains Shastri's only major trophy as a head coach. He helped the team reach the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup and the final of the ICC World Test Championship but India failed to lift the trophy.</p>

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Ravi Shastri is all set to step down from his post of India head coach at the end of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. His contract expires after the conclusion of the tournament and Shastri will be looking for new challenges as he part ways with the Indian team.

Ravi Shastri is all set to step down from his post of India head coach at the end of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. His contract expires after the conclusion of the tournament and Shastri will be looking for new challenges as he part ways with the Indian team. He will be replaced by the legendary Rahul Dravid, who has been already confirmed to take over as the new head coach of the Indian men's cricket team ahead of the start of the New Zealand series at home later this month. Shastri was asked about his tenure as the head coach of the Indian side as Virat Kohli & Co. took the field against Namibia on Monday (November 08) after bowing out of the T20 World Cup 2021. The Nambia game is set to be Shastri's last as the head coach of the Indian team and Kohli's last as the captain of the T20I side. Kohli has also confirmed he will be stepping down as India's T20I captain at the end of the ongoing tournament. Reacting to Dravid's appointment as the new head coach of the team, Shastri said the batting legend will be inheriting a great team and can only raise the bar in the future. Shastri said Dravid will be inheriting a team that is not in transition and wished him to take Indian cricket to greater hieghts. "In Rahul Dravid, they've got a guy who has inherited a great team and I think with his experience, he can only raise the bar in time to come. There are still players here who will play for another 3-4 years which is very important. It is not a team in transition and that'll make the biggest difference," Shastri said ahead of his last game as India's head coach. "Virat is still there, he has done a fantastic job as the leader of the side, he's been the biggest ambassador for Test cricket over the last five years. Lot of credit goes to him in the way he's thought about how he wants the team to play the game and how the team has rallied around him," he added. Also Read: Should Kohli also step down as ODI & Test captain: Fan asks Sehwag, former opener responds × Shastri was appointed as India's full-time head coach in 2017 and his contract was renewed post the conclusion of the ODI World Cup in 2019. Under Shastri, India dominated in Tests, staying at the top of the Test rankings for several months while also registering some memorable Test series wins at home and overseas. The Asia Cup triumph under Rohit Sharma in 2018 remains Shastri's only major trophy as a head coach. He helped the team reach the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup and the final of the ICC World Test Championship but India failed to lift the trophy.

Ravi Shastri reacts to Rahul Dravid succeeding him as India's head coach: He has inherited a great team

<p>Team India will end their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition on Monday evening (November 8). Being touted as one of the strongest contenders, Virat Kohli-led India failed to live upto expectations and will now play their last league stage match versus Namibia and hope to sign off on a high.</p>

<p>India started their campaign in Pool B with a ten-wicket loss to Pakistan. They then lost to New Zealand by eight wickets, which very well ended their chances of reaching the semi-finals. While the Men in Blue have pulled back in style with two big wins, versus Afghanistan and Scotland respectively, they became out of contention on Sunday evening (November 7) as soon as Afghan side lost to Kane Williamson-led Black Caps by eight wickets.</p>

<p>Namibia, on the other hand, are coming into this game after some good performances in the qualifiers and have remained competitive in the Super 12. They will hope to learn aplenty by locking horns with Team India and also aim to pull off an upset versus Kohli &amp; Co.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-nam-t20-world-cup-2021-prediction-who-will-win-todays-match-between-india-and-namibia-427598"><strong>IND vs NAM, T20 World Cup 2021 prediction: Who will win today's match between India and Namibia?</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Where is the T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia taking place?</strong></p>

<p>The T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai.</p>

<p><strong>What time does the T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia begin?</strong></p>

<p>The T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia begins at 7:30 PM IST on Monday.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-pak-continue-to-win-hearts-as-babar-co-celebrate-haris-raufs-birthday-with-scotland-players-427612"><strong>WATCH: PAK continue to win hearts as Babar &amp; Co. celebrate Haris Rauf's birthday with Scotland players</strong></a></p>

<p><strong>Where and how to watch live coverage of the T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia?</strong></p>

<p>The T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia will be aired live on Star Sports channels - Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 3 HD. The online streaming of the T20 World Cup match between IND vs SCO&nbsp;will be available on Hotstar. The T20 World Cup matches will be shown on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports HD, and DD Sports.</p>


Team India will end their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition on Monday evening (November 8). Being touted as one of the strongest contenders, Virat Kohli-led India failed to live upto expectations and will now play their last league stage match versus Namibia and hope to sign off on a high.

Team India will end their campaign in the T20 World Cup 2021 edition on Monday evening (November 8). Being touted as one of the strongest contenders, Virat Kohli-led India failed to live upto expectations and will now play their last league stage match versus Namibia and hope to sign off on a high. India started their campaign in Pool B with a ten-wicket loss to Pakistan. They then lost to New Zealand by eight wickets, which very well ended their chances of reaching the semi-finals. While the Men in Blue have pulled back in style with two big wins, versus Afghanistan and Scotland respectively, they became out of contention on Sunday evening (November 7) as soon as Afghan side lost to Kane Williamson-led Black Caps by eight wickets. Namibia, on the other hand, are coming into this game after some good performances in the qualifiers and have remained competitive in the Super 12. They will hope to learn aplenty by locking horns with Team India and also aim to pull off an upset versus Kohli & Co. ALSO READ | IND vs NAM, T20 World Cup 2021 prediction: Who will win today's match between India and Namibia? Let's take a look at the means on how to live stream or view the match: Where is the T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia taking place? The T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia will take place at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Dubai. What time does the T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia begin? The T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia begins at 7:30 PM IST on Monday. ALSO READ | WATCH: PAK continue to win hearts as Babar & Co. celebrate Haris Rauf's birthday with Scotland players Where and how to watch live coverage of the T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia? The T20 World Cup match between India vs Namibia will be aired live on Star Sports channels - Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports 3 HD. The online streaming of the T20 World Cup match between IND vs SCO will be available on Hotstar. The T20 World Cup matches will be shown on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 2, Star Sports 3, Star Sports HD, and DD Sports.

T20 World Cup, IND vs NAM live streaming: When and where to watch India vs Namibia match?

<p>India head coach Ravi Shastri is all set to step down from his post after the conclusion of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. With Rahul Dravid already named his successor as the new head coach of the Indian team, Shastri might continue in a coaching role in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Though he has not coached an IPL team before, Shastri has reportedly been approached by the Ahmedabad franchise for the 2022 season.</p>

<p>The Ahmedabad franchise will be one of the two new teams who will be included in the competition from next year making IPL a ten-team affair. As per a report in Cricbuzz, CVC Capitals, the owners of the Ahmedabad franchise are likely to rope in Shastri and two other members of his current support staff in the Indian team - bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar.</p>

<p>The report stated that the owners of the Ahmedabad team approached Shastri recently in Dubai. However, the India head coach is currently focused on the Virat Kohli-led side's campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 and will take a decision only after the conclusion of the showpiece event. He has sought time till the end of the World Cup to decide if he wants a coaching role in the IPL.</p>

<p>A noted commentator, Shastri reportedly also has offers from major broadcasters over a return to commentary. However, he will not be able to work as a commentator for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) if he accepts an offer from an IPL team. He can work with a broadcaster despite being associated with an IPL side.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/checked-for-sandpaper-barmy-army-takes-a-dig-at-warner-as-gayle-touches-his-pocket-during-t20-wc-427366">'Checked for sandpaper': Barmy Army takes a dig at Warner as Gayle touches his pocket</a></strong></p>

<p>Shastri was appointed as the full-time head coach of the Indian team on an initial contract of two years. His contract was renewed till the T20 World Cup 2021 after the conclusion of the ODI World Cup in 2019. Under Shastri, India are yet to win a major ICC trophy but have registered some memorable series wins both at home and away from home, including back-to-back Test series wins in Australia.</p>

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India head coach Ravi Shastri is all set to step down from his post after the conclusion of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. With Rahul Dravid already named his successor as the new head coach of the Indian team, Shastri might continue in a coaching role in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

India head coach Ravi Shastri is all set to step down from his post after the conclusion of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. With Rahul Dravid already named his successor as the new head coach of the Indian team, Shastri might continue in a coaching role in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Though he has not coached an IPL team before, Shastri has reportedly been approached by the Ahmedabad franchise for the 2022 season. The Ahmedabad franchise will be one of the two new teams who will be included in the competition from next year making IPL a ten-team affair. As per a report in Cricbuzz, CVC Capitals, the owners of the Ahmedabad franchise are likely to rope in Shastri and two other members of his current support staff in the Indian team - bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar. The report stated that the owners of the Ahmedabad team approached Shastri recently in Dubai. However, the India head coach is currently focused on the Virat Kohli-led side's campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 and will take a decision only after the conclusion of the showpiece event. He has sought time till the end of the World Cup to decide if he wants a coaching role in the IPL. A noted commentator, Shastri reportedly also has offers from major broadcasters over a return to commentary. However, he will not be able to work as a commentator for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) if he accepts an offer from an IPL team. He can work with a broadcaster despite being associated with an IPL side. Also Read: 'Checked for sandpaper': Barmy Army takes a dig at Warner as Gayle touches his pocket Shastri was appointed as the full-time head coach of the Indian team on an initial contract of two years. His contract was renewed till the T20 World Cup 2021 after the conclusion of the ODI World Cup in 2019. Under Shastri, India are yet to win a major ICC trophy but have registered some memorable series wins both at home and away from home, including back-to-back Test series wins in Australia. ×

Ravi Shastri to coach an IPL team? Ahmedabad franchise approach outgoing India head coach - Report

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