Shastri said the spotlight on today's players is way more than what it was during his playing days.
According to Shastri, the exponential growth of media houses has also made it very difficult for players to remain friends.
"I think it has changed. It has changed from the time we played the game. The equation we had with journalists was far far better than the equation you see with the boys today. And I have been part of (the) dressing room for the last seven years," Shastri said at the launch of ‘It's A Wonderful World', a memoir by Khalid A-H Ansari.
Recently, veteran India wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha took to Twitter and shared a screenshot of his private chat with an unnamed journalist who sent him threats for not agreeing to give an interview over his exclusion from the Test squad.
Shastri was one of those prominent names who had urged the BCCI to investigate the matter.
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"I don't blame the guys though because, the spotlight that is there on today's players is nowhere like what it was on us," Shastri said.
“Obviously the increase in number of media personnel has got a lot to do with this,” he agreed.
"We had the print media; there was television (Doordarshan) that had just started. But today with the platforms that exist in the media and social media taking off the way it is, news channels, the number of news channels that cover the game, is unreal and that really is something that puts the spotlight on the players," he added.
Ravi Shastri, who has a lot of experience as commentator, further said that he had told the players about media handling while serving the team as coach.
"I feel we have tried to discuss it (with) them. To speak as much as you can to the media, but make sure that it is a proper kind of press conference where you take everyone's questions at one go.
"Because what happens is a lot of things are taken out of context these days and I am being honest about it, because of the competition that exists."
"As a result of which, the player has no choice but to go into a shell, has absolutely no choice and says I rather look within, focus on the game, let my cricket do the talking and once I am done and dusted, then I can speak to whoever," the 59-year-old added.
(With PTI inputs)