Ravi Shastri’s tenure as the head coach of the Indian cricket team came to an end on Monday, when India played their last league match of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021. Ravi Shastri signed off from his tenure as an “emotional, but a very proud man”. Alongwith Ravi Shastri, legendary batsman Virat Kohli also played his last game as India’s T20I skipper.
However, Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli couldn’t end their tenure on a high note as the Indian cricket team failed to qualify for the semi-final of the World Cup. On his last and final match as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, Ravi Shastri heaped praises on team India and labeled his side as “one of the great cricket teams in the history of the game”.
While he lauded the Indian side for their incredible performances over the years, Ravi Shastri also underlined the toll that non-stop touring in biosecure conditions had taken on him and his players.
Following the win against Namibia, Ravi Shastri was also asked by Ian Bishop to list the lessons team India took from the T20 World Cup 2021 campaign. Responding to this, Shastri said that the Men in Blue would have liked a bigger break after the IPL to have regained that ‘X-factor’ that was required in the tournament. He said:
“I think first of all it’s rest. See I am mentally drained by I expect that at my age. These guys are physically and mentally drained. You know six months in a bubble and we would have ideally liked a bigger gap between the IPL and the World Cup.”
He added:
“It’s when the big games come and the pressure hits you. You are not that switched on as you should be. It’s not an excuse. We take defeat because we are not scared of losing. Because in trying to win, you will lose a game. Here we didn’t try to win because that X-factor was missing.”
Out of 10, how would you rate Ravi Shastri’s performance as India’s head coach? ?
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 8, 2021
Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team will be locking their horns with New Zealand. Rahul Dravid will take over the new role and will begin his tenure as India’s full-time coach from the upcoming home series against New Zealand starting November 17.
