"Till today, I don't have his phone number" - Ravi Shastri on MS Dhoni's one of a kind personality
Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has shed light on the personalities of the players in the dressing room over the years. The 59-year-old left his post as head coach after the culmination of the T20 World Cup after taking charge during a tricky phase in Indian cricket.
Primarily talking about the players he coached during his stint, Shastri outlined Virat Kohli's in-your-face aggressive attitude on the field and the stark contrast off it. He compared Rohit Sharma's behavior to MS Dhoni's but admitted that the former India captain was on a whole other level when it came to calmness.
While speaking with Shoaib Akhtar on his YouTube channel, Shastri said:
"Virat is like a beast on the field, once he steps on the field, he just wants to compete and he does not care about anything else. But, completely opposite off the field, absolutely calm and chill. Rohit is laid back pretty much like MS Dhoni. MS is just unreal, one of a kind, whether it's a duck, century, lifting the World Cup, he does not care."
He added:
"I have seen many players but there is none like MS Dhoni. Sachin had a fantastic temperament but got angry at times, but MS, nothing at all. Till today, I don't have his phone number, I've not even asked for it. I know he does not carry a phone around with him."
Ravi Shastri giving insights about Dhoni and Rohit https://t.co/sQ9LAHAL8R
Shastri also offered his thoughts on Virat Kohli's decision to step down from the Test captaincy. While he admitted to being surprised by the call, Shastri respected the player's judgment. Shastri reasoned:
"When a person does well over a span of time, as much as there are people who love it, there are people who hate it as well. People get jealous, it is a human trait, I think it is a terrible trait. The pressure started building and people began looking for opportunities."
He added:
"With Virat, he realized that it was getting too much for him, in this COVID time all three formats, unable to take a break as well. So, I think he did the right thing by quitting white-ball cricket captaincy. When he quit Test captaincy, I was a little surprised. At the end of the day, I always respect a cricketer's judgment."
Virat Kohli announced his decision to leave the post of Test captain of India after the loss in the third Test against South Africa. Rohit Sharma is now the frontrunner to take over the Test captaincy.
A break will do Kohli a world of good: Ravi Shastri
Kohli was initially rumored to be taking a break during the ODI series against South Africa but he was fully involved in the tour after refuting those claims. Shastri noted that Kohli could perhaps benefit from a break to help with the transition as well as prepare him for the next leg of his career as a pure batter. He said:
"I think he realized that he's 33, he must have five good years of cricket ahead of him. Probably take a break from the game as well, 2-3 months or even one series will do him a world of good. He will be clear mentally, will know what his role in the team is, and can play as a team player. And that's how I want to see Kohli from now on."
Ravi Shastri tells me Virat Kohli could have carried on for at least two more years as Test captain but India would have won a lot of Tests at home and a lot of people would have not been able to digest his success. #ViratKohli
Rohit Sharma, having recovered from his hamstring injury, will lead the side in the limited-overs series against West Indies. The selection committee will reportedly meet later this week to select the team for the ODI and T20I series.