"Enjoy at my expense"- Ravi Shastri brushes aside hilarious memes aimed at him
Team India head coach Ravi Shastri has been in the news of late for various hilarious memes aimed at him instead of the outstanding work he has done behind the scenes.
One such meme was about the Team India head coach not staying in a 'dry state' for too long after his team's victory inside two days in the third Test in Ahmedabad, which incidentally happens to be in a 'dry state'- Gujarat.
However, Ravi Shastri has opted to see the funny side of things. In a press conference after the end of the India-England Test series, he said that he is happy to bring smiles to people's faces and is fine with the 'banter' on social media.
"See its banter, its banter all the way. They do it to have fun. I just take a laugh. Whether I drink nimbu paani (lemon water), or have milk and honey, it doesn't matter. Enjoy the drink, enjoy at my expense. When you post those kinds of things, so many people laugh and are so happy. Enjoy it, as long as the team does well," Ravi Shastri said.
I like to be calm and do my work: Ravi Shastri on the challenges of being the head coach
Ravi Shastri hasn't always had a smooth ride as the head coach of Indian team. He has had his share of criticism and scrutiny when Team India lost Test series away to South Africa and England in 2018.
Many were also surprised to see Ravi Shastri's contract getting extended even after the Men in Blue crashed out of the 2019 World Cup semi-finals.
However, Ravi Shastri understands the unique challenges of his role and how people's reactions vary depending on how the team performs. Instead of letting the external noise distract him, Ravi Shastri opts to stay calm and discharge his reponsiblities to the best of his abilities.
"With so much cricket happening, it all revolves around performances. If you perform, you will get accolades. And if you don't, you will get kicks. I like to be calm and do my work," Ravi Shastri observed.
Ravi Shastri has played an incredible role in helping Team India script come-from-behind series wins away in Australia and at home against England.
The two series triumphs have helped India reach the World Test Championship Final against New Zealand. If the team goes on to win the title match, it would be another feather in Ravi Shastri's cap.