'Ravi Shastri gives Virat Kohli the required space' - Ashish Nehra
Former Indian pacer Ashish Nehra has opined that Ravi Shastri giving Virat Kohli the required space and the latter understanding what can be extracted from the coach has contributed to their successful partnership.
Ashish Nehra, Michael Slater and Piyush Chawla put forth their views on the success enjoyed by the captain-coach combination of Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri in the recent edition of Star Sports' show Cricket Connected.
Ashish Nehra was asked if the coach should give the ultimate freedom to the captain and if that is the reason for the chemistry between Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri. The left-arm pacer responded that it is the mutual understanding between the duo that has helped them in forging a strong bond.
"Ravi Shastri gives Virat Kohli his space, that he needs. Virat Kohli knows the type of person Ravi Shastri is and what can be extracted from him."
He labelled Ravi Shastri as a great motivator who instils a lot of confidence in the team members even in adverse circumstances.
"Ravi Shastri is a great motivator, that is Ravi bhai's strength. He gives you a lot of confidence. If you are stuck in quicksand till your neck, he will ask you to push with your hands twice and you would come out."
Ashish Nehra pointed out that Virat Kohli also likes taking the leadership role and that the pair's similar traits have helped the relationship prosper.
"Virat Kohli also likes leading from the front. Both have similar personalities. So, it is very good between the two of them."
The former RCB bowling coach added that Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri may not agree with each other always, but both play an important role in arriving at the final decision and driving the team forward.
"It is not that all the time they agree on things but few things you need to let it go. It's not like that the captain is the last decision-maker or coach is the last decision-maker. For me, it has to be a 50-50 partnership."
Michael Slater and Piyush Chawla on the Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri combine
On being asked what clicks between Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri, Michael Slater attributed it to the mutual respect between the duo even though the two of them might have differences of opinion at times.
"Ravi and Virat probably challenge each other enough but there is such repect between them that it works. If Ravi is nodding his head when Virat is speaking and vice versa, the rest of them even if they don't agree would be nodding their heads."
Michael Slater added that both Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri wore their hearts on their sleeves, with the former Australian opener knowing the Indian coach quite well from their stints together behind the microphone.
"Both of them have their heart on their sleeve. I have worked with Ravi for so long in the commentary box, so I have got to know him and he was one of my great mates when we worked together. He is a big personality."
The aggressive New South Welshman signed off by stating that the great relationship between Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri has given the Indian team a major boost.
"But obviously there are subtle differences that allows them to really work well together. But it has been a great synergy and a great relationship and I think it has helped Indian cricket's tempo."
Piyush Chawla opted for the Test series win in Australia in 2018-19 when asked to pick the biggest achievement of the Indian team under Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri.
"I think that the Test series they won in Australia was a very big achievement because it had not happened for a long time. And winning a series away from home is a very big achievement."
Since Ravi Shastri took over as the coach of the Virat Kohli-led Indian cricket team in July 2017, they have the joint-best win percentage (60%) in Test matches, apart from the second-best win percentages in T20Is (74%) and ODIs (68.5%) among the top ten cricketing nations.
But the icing on the cake was the 2-1 Test series win in Australia in 2018-19, the first time ever an Asian team had managed to do so Down Under.