Ravi Shastri: My first job is to find out what went wrong and file a report
Ravi Shastri has said that his first role as the director of Team India will be to analyse the situation and zero in on the issues. The cricketer-turned-commentator was drafted on board by the BCCI following the team’s poor showing in the just concluded Test series against England, where MS Dhoni’s men squandered a 1-0 lead to lose the series 1-3.
Despite reports quoting a BCCI official that Shastri’s appointment will sideline head coach Duncan Fletcher, the 52-year-old confirmed that his job is just to work alongside the Zimbabwean.
"My brief is to work with Duncan Fletcher and find out why a team that posted a splendid victory at Lord's collapsed in the last three matches. Like the BCCI, I too am eager to find out what went wrong and how it can be set right."
The 52-year-old, who was on the Star Sports commentary panel for the series before the Indian cricket board approached him, refused to delve deep into the future prospects of the team.
"I can't talk about the future because the situation is quite fluid. My first job is to find out what went wrong and file a report to the BCCI. It will be up to the board to act on it and take it forward," he was quoted as saying.
A veteran of 80 Test matches and 150 ODIs, Shastri had previously served as the director of the team in 2007 following Greg Chappell’s resignation after the group stage exit at the 50-over World Cup in West Indies.
Speaking on his former teammate and co-commentator’s appointment to guide the team, Sunil Gavaskar claimed that results cannot be expected instantly.
"I think the fact that they have appointed assistant coaches, who have very real interest in Indian cricket as against commercial interests of some others, will make an impact. Mind you, it won't be an immediate impact. This is not instant coffee. So you just have to be a little more patient," said Gavaskar.