“That is the most bizarre thing I have heard” - When Virat Kohli slammed the media for calling head coach Ravi Shastri a yes-man
Back in 2018, former India captain Virat Kohli was asked by reporters whether then-head coach Ravi Shastri approved everything as a 'yes' man. Kohli responded by terming Shastri an honest individual who often refused his ideas in favor of the team. It all happened in the official press conference ahead of India's tour to Australia.
The question was posed to Kohli to gauge his relationship with Shastri, who was appointed the head coach in July 2017. While also serving as a team director from 2014-16, he replaced Anil Kumble, who resigned from the job after one year.
As per reports, Kumble's departure was hastened after he was reportedly furious at the players after losing to Pakistan in the 2017 Champions Trophy final.
However, Kohli was satisfied with Shastri's appointment, as he felt the former all-rounder brought out the best in every player, which helped the team's growth. The star batter praised Shastri's man-management skill, which was crucial to helping him and other batters recover from a disastrous Test series loss against England in 2014 and prepare well for the 2015 World Cup.
Virat Kohli opined that he valued Shastri's viewpoints and made a change to his batting approach, which reaped fruits. He said:
"About saying 'yes' all the time, that is the most bizarre thing I have heard," Kohli said. "I don't think there's anyone who has said no to me more than him in Indian cricket. Honestly, because he's one guy I can speak to and get an honest opinion and he'll tell me something that if it doesn't need to be done, it doesn't need to be done. I've made more changes to my game listening to him than anyone else in the past." [H/t ESPNcricinfo]
How did India fare in the Virat Kohli-Ravi Shastri era?
Initially, Ravi Shastri was appointed the head coach for a two-year term in 2017. However, his tenure was extended after the 2019 World Cup and he held the role until the 2021 T20 World Cup. Meanwhile, Virat Kohli was appointed the captain across all formats in 2017.
Under both of them, India won 22 out of 39 Tests, 44 out of 67 ODIs and 30 out of 47 T20Is. In January 2021, India became the first Asian side to win a Test series on Australian soil and were also the No. 1 test side from 2017-21. They also emerged as the runner-up in the World Test Championship 2019-21 cycle under the duo.