Former India coach Ravi Shastri has said that it is now up to the Indian players to choose what they want to pick, to play in the IPL, or to prepare well for a match like the World Test Championship final, after Rohit Sharma and co. lost the WTC 2023 final to Australia at the Oval on June 11.
After India suffered a huge 209-run defeat against Australia at the Oval, head coach Rahul Dravid said arriving in England at least two weeks earlier and playing some side matches would have been ideal for the team ahead of the big game.
However, on Sunday, Ravi Shastri expressed doubt about the idea of players receiving an extended break after the IPL or playing practice matches before upcoming WTC final matches, barring a change in attitude by all parties involved.
Shastri also rejected the notion and said it was up to the players to decide.
"That's never going to happen. Let's be realistic. You're going to get 20 days, but if that's the case, you got to miss the IPL. The choice is yours (players). It's up to the establishment as well. I'm sure the BCCI is going to review this in the future. If the WTC Final is going to come after the IPL, in the month of June, for that season, if your team qualifies for the final, there should be certain clauses put in for the franchises," said Shastri on Star Sports.
Shastri had also criticized the shot selection of Indian top-order batters, who let down the team.
"What's amazed me though is the way that the pitch has behaved. Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara will be kicking themselves for playing the shots that they played. They were poor shots when they were batting beautifully," said Shastri.
(PTI inputs)
