SA v IND 2018: Indian team can adapt to any condition, says Ravi Shastri

For us every game is a home game, says Ravi Shastri.

Ravi Shastri believes Team India is equipped for the overseas challenges | AFP

Taking into account the experience and bench strength of current Indian Test team, head coach Ravi Shastri has said that the current lot of players have it in them to win the series in South Africa and perform well on the subsequent overseas assignments next year.

In particular, Shastri is quite confident of the Indian pace battery as he believes that the likes of Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant Sharma can pick up 20 wickets to win a Test match.

Addressing the media for the very first time after landing in the rainbow nation, Ravi Shastri said that adaptability will be the biggest factor for the visitors.

"All I can say is the team is up for the challenge. If you asked me four years ago, I would have said no. But this team has gained in experience," said Shastri according to PTI.

"The beauty of this team is it does not matter which opposition it is. We respect all opposition. We look at the pitch and adapt to those conditions. You have got bench strength in your fast bowling department which is the key in taking 20 wickets," he added.

On being asked whether the curators will be reluctant to prepare seaming pitches considering the Indian pacers this time around, Shastri said, "For us every game is a home game. Even this is a home game for us at Newlands. You see the pitch, you adapt. No excuses, no complaints. Two teams have to play on that surface.

"Tomorrow you go to England and it might be seaming all over the place. You come to India it might be turning. If you want to be rated as a side, you adapt to the conditions. It's as simple as that. Leave all the other crap aside and try and compete in the conditions that on offer," he elaborated.

The 55-year-old former India captain also mentioned that the team is eagerly waiting to get on the field, as the players are keen to prove themselves away from home.

"A lot of our boys want job satisfaction. Job satisfaction is when you get outside and score runs and take wickets. So there's a challenge. They want that Test match to start as soon as possible," remarked Ravi.

"South Africa have always been a good solid all-round side. I mentioned that in the last two years no team has travelled well. India has started doing that. If you look before that, it's always been South Africa, ahead of any other team. It was a team that was in transition, but South Africa have always had good bench strength. The thing now, though, this will be a good contest," he concluded.

India Test squad for South Africa tour:

Virat Kohli(c), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Parthiv Patel (WK), Jasprit Bumrah

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 31 Dec, 2017

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