Former India coach Ravi Shastri, under whom India won both their Test series in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21, has advised the current head coach Gautam Gambhir to remain calm and focus on his players instead of engaging in verbal battles with outside elements.
This comes after the ongoing rift between Gautam Gambhir and Ricky Ponting after the ex-Australia captain raised concerns about Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s form with the bat. Ponting was asked to focus on Australian cricket by Gambhir instead of commenting on the Indian team.
Shastri, who knows a thing or two about India winning in Australia, has advised Gambhir not to let external factors influence his game plan as he tackles his most difficult test since taking over as Head Coach earlier this year.
“The first thing would be to stay calm and not let outside elements influence you in any way. Avoid getting into positions where knee-jerk reactions happen. Stay calm and focus on understanding your players. You’ll notice what it takes for a player to thrive,” Shastri said on Star Sports.
Another essential factor that Shastri believes is important is understanding the players and using the correct individual for the scenario, which can be worked on with enough research or experience in the dressing room.
“You’ll understand team situations where a certain player might be better suited than another, based on your understanding of their temperament. These insights don’t come overnight — it took me some time to understand everyone. Gautam might already have a basic understanding of the players’ temperaments. He might have seen them in the IPL or sat in the dressing room with them when he played," he added.
“However, there are many players with different mindsets, cultures, and backgrounds. For example, there could be a player who’s an introvert, but with the right push and confidence, he could become a match-winner for you. “Understanding those kinds of players and enabling them to work and play in a way that brings out their best would be crucial," Shastri explained.
Despite India’s embarrassing 0-3 whitewash at home by New Zealand, Shastri believes that the Australian team will be confident, but won’t underestimate India, who are looking to complete a hat-trick of Test series win in Australia.
(PTI inputs)
