The Indian team suffered a series loss in the five-match ODI series against Australia and the players who might be bound for the ICC World Cup 2019 in England and Wales, will be participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2019, which commences from March 23.
Team India was criticized for too much experimentation in the recent matches against Australia in order to find the best combination for the World Cup and losing the ODI series in the process. Now head coach Ravi Shastri was interviewed by the Mirror Now, and he opined on many issues regarding the Indian team’s preparation for the World Cup.
Here are few of the excerpts from the interview.
On the readiness of the team and the injury factor in IPL, Shastri said, “The nucleus of the team is there. But you can never discount injuries at the last minute. You have only 15 allowed for the World Cup but you've got to have about 18-20 in the mix. That will always be a concern because the last thing you want is an injury. The World Cup is immediately after the IPL and if someone gets injured, it will be a concern. I will be lying if I say I am not on the edge of my seat. I will be watching every game closely.”
Shastri also touched the issue of not playing Pakistan in the World cup or not playing the World Cup altogether. He said, “I will leave it entirely to the BCCI and the government because they know what's happening. They will take a call and you will go with whatever the government says. If the government says it's that sensitive, you don't need to play the World Cup, I will go with my government.”
Talking about his relationship with captain Kohli, “We are very similar in our mindset. We are both aggressive in our thinking, which leads on to how the team plays. The emphasis is on work ethics, where no one can drop their guard. Punctuality is the number one thing. If you are late, the bus will leave. But it doesn't happen as these guys are very professional.”
He also spoke about the Dhoni-Kohli captaincy controversy and said, “Each one has his own style and each one is different. When you mention Virat and MS, yes, they are different, the way they play and the way they captain. MS was the senior man when Virat was coming through the ranks. Virat gave him the respect he deserved. Now MS is not the captain, Virat is, so MS does the same thing. The mutual respect for each other is massive and that's all you want as a coach.”
Shastri said that he doesn’t compare leaders when asked about the Sachin-Kohli comparison. He said, “I do not compare leaders. If there is one man who stands out because of sheer performances and averages, it is Donald Bradman. Sobers, in his time, was the best cricketer. Kohli and Tendulkar are very, very similar… the sacrifices they make, the determination, the concentration, the passion. Both are role models. When you have a level of performance that high, you are going to be compared, but it's each one to his generation.”
Shastri also said that KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya needed that jolt which they received in the aftermath of Koffee with Karan controversy. Shastri explained, “They needed the rap on the knuckles. What was said, what was played out, they just for a moment forgot that they are a part of the Indian cricket team. So that's why the rap on the knuckles, which could have been anything but you can't book them for anything.”
(Mirror Now inputs)
