T20 World Cup 2021: "It might remain as a thorn in his mind" - Aakash Chopra on Ravi Shastri failing to win an ICC event as India coach
Aakash Chopra believes Ravi Shastri will be pained at failing to win an ICC event during his tenure as Team India's coach.
The Indian team have been knocked out of the ongoing T20 World Cup 2021 even before the semi-final stage. Shastri, who is stepping down after tonight's encounter against Namibia, will be replaced by Rahul Dravid as India's head coach.
Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri - the duo is set make ways after tonight's game against Namibia. Virat to captain final time in T20is, Ravi to end his stay as India's Head Coach.
While reflecting on Ravi Shastri's tenure as head coach in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that the 59-year-old might be dismayed by Team India's failure to win a global event under him. He elaborated:
"Ravi Shastri will not be seen as the Indian coach hereafter. If you talk about World Cups or ICC events, you could have won at least one of the three trophies, whether it was the 2019 World Cup or the ICC mace or this World Cup. If you play three World Cups and don't win even one of them and you don't even qualify in one, it might remain as a thorn in his [Shastri's] mind."
The cricketer-turned-commentator highlighted that Ravi Shastri failed to bring an all-out attacking approach to India's limited-overs cricket. Chopra observed:
"I feel India could have done better in white-ball cricket. We won bilateral series repeatedly, whether it was ODIs or T20Is. But the one legacy Ravi Shastri did not leave behind was that the team did not start playing a different brand of cricket."
There have been calls from certain quarters for Team India to imbibe England's aggressive approach, especially in the T20 format of the game. However, it could prove counter-productive at times due to India's lack of batting depth.
See who is the highest run scorer in T20 World Cup 2021 here.
"Ravi Shastri made a very good Test team" - Aakash Chopra
However, Aakash Chopra lauded Ravi Shastri for putting together a formidable Test side, which did well in overseas conditions and especially in Australia. He pointed out:
"He made a very good Test team. The Indian team went to Australia and defeated them twice, no one had done that earlier. We played well in England."
The former India opener added that New Zealand was probably the only country where Team India was outplayed in a Test series during Ravi Shastri's tenure. Chopra stated:
"We should have won in South Africa, if we had done slightly better selection, we could have won. I feel when we will go there under Rahul Dravid's guidance, we will win as well. It won't be that easy, their team has become good. We couldn't conquer New Zealand."
The schedule for India's tour of South Africa has been released.
CSA would like to announce a key schedule change for the tour. The New Year’s Test has been moved from the Wanderers in Johannesburg to Cape Town.
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Team India put up a great fight but lost their last Test series in South Africa by a 2-1 margin. They will hope to win their maiden Test series in the Rainbow Nation later this year.