"There has to be clear communication and vision "- Ravi Shastri gives Australia's example in making the transition in the team
Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri feels there should be a clear line of communication between the selectors, the team management, and the players if they want to make a smooth transition happen.
There has been a lot of talk of late about the need for transition in the Indian team across formats, and Shastri gave the example of how Australia made such a transition involving a young Adam Gilchrist. Ian Healy was communicated that he would be replaced by Gilchrist, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Speaking exclusively to The Week, here's what Ravi Shastri had to say about Australia's transition:
"I will give you an example of Australia. Adam Gilchrist was a youngster doing well and at the other end was Ian Healy. He could have easily played for 1-2 years for Australia as he was that good. But they saw an opportunity in a youngster who was good enough to take on world cricket and become a world-beater. So there has to be clear communication and vision from the selectors and the establishment and the think tank."
Shastri also shed light on the importance of having a mix of youth and experience and not just injecting youth for the sake of it. He added:
"My vision would be to have a strong Indian team and that's possible when you have youth and experience. I won't go for youth just for the sake of it. The youth should be good enough to compete and be on the heels of the experienced player. If he is good enough, then my sense of direction will be towards the youngster."
Catch Shastri's comments from 1:40 onwards:
Seniors are ready to be phased out in T20 cricket: Ravi Shastri
Ravi Shastri feels that at the moment, it is the easiest for India to make the transition happen in the T20I format. He believes there is enough talent coming from the IPL to help India build a team in the shortest format.
On this, Shastri stated:
"There are seniors ready to be phased out and there are youngsters ready, no question about it when it comes to T20 cricket. Lesser in 50-over cricket and even fewer in Test match cricket. Due to the IPL, there are a lot of high-quality youngsters available."
However, when it comes to red-ball cricket, Ravi Shastri feels IPL shouldn't be considered as a major reason for selection. He added:
"I won't see the youngsters as automatic red-ball choices. I would rather have a look at their red-ball record. I will sit with the selectors and look at how he has scored his runs and in what conditions. For me, the temperament is the catalyst. It is paramount. I will see if he has a stomach for the fight. These are the qualities that make a fearless player. The volume of cricketers that India have compared to others, you should always have bench strength."
India are yet to name a squad for the T20Is against West Indies and it will be interesting to see who gets the nod.