After India’s series-clinching victory over Australia in the third and final ODI at Bangalore on Sunday (January 19), head coach Ravi Shastri took a jibe at critics who did not rate his wards’ Test series win Down Under last year highly.
Hailing his team’s 2-1 ODI series victory, Shastri said “nobody can say we played an inferior Australia side” this time around.
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Notably, some critics had belittled India’s first-ever Test series win on Australia soil, saying it came in the absence of top batsmen David Warner and Steve Smith, who were serving ball-tampering suspensions at that time.
“This team, the boys showed great character. Nobody can say we played an inferior Australia side. They got a thrashing in Mumbai, and then to win two games, with all the travel, and with Australia winning all three tosses,” Shastri said after the third ODI.
In the decider, India restricted the visitors to 289/9 despite Steve Smith’s century (131). Mohammad Shami (4/63), Ravindra Jadeja (2/44), Kuldeep Yadav (1/62) and Navdeep Saini (1/65) were among the wickets for the hosts while Jasprit Bumrah (0/38) was fairly economical with the ball.
In reply, India rode on Rohit Sharma (119 off 128 balls) and Virat Kohli’s (89 off 91 balls) special knocks to overhaul the target with 15 balls to spare. Shreyas Iyer also chipped in with 35-ball 44*.
“They realised once they got off to a start, that this Australian attack will always look for wickets. Each of those 11 will always look to get in the door if they get a foot in. Virat and Rohit batted well, and Shreyas will get a lot of confidence from this innings,” Shastri said.
He was full of praise for his bowlers, saying the opposition batsmen can’t take much freedom against them in the death overs.
“If sides are looking to take us apart in the last 10 overs, then we have a lot of variety. The game might be 130 years old, but that [the yorker] is still the best ball in the world,” Ravi said referring to the block-hole delivery which the Indians used very effectively and consistently against the Australians in this series.
“The exposure they (youngsters) get against this Australian outfit will stand them in good stead. Their mindset will be entirely different. Young Saini is quick, and if he gets it right, he’ll tickle a few. Really proud of the guys - I thought they were magnificent,” he signed off.
(With PTI inputs)
