Ravi Shastri: ‘I was Here for Steel, Not Silverware’

It was a late morning for Ravi Shastri. Understandably so. Flooded with messages, he had responded to a lot of them till late at night. But on the call, he sounded relaxed. “Completely relaxed but overwhelmed at the same time. Scribes from the world over have had a good word to say and that means a lot to me. You work the hardest for these moments. Even those who have always had a knife for me have been kind,” Shastri chuckled. In his first interview after stepping down as India’s head coach, Shastri spoke to Boria Majumdar about back-to-back series wins in Australia, not winning an ICC trophy, his successor Rahul Dravid and more. Excerpts.

Looking back at your tenure as India’s head coach, do you feel satisfied?
Absolutely. More than satisfied. Yes, I would have liked more silverware for the cabinet for sure, but I was here less for the silverware and more for the steel. That’s what I have been able to accomplish, and this team will always be looked at as one of the great teams that played our great sport. Also, the parameter is not simply Indian cricket. Rather, the comparison is with any team that has played the sport across the world. In any which way you see it, you have to say this is a very good cricket team. As coach, it can’t be a better feeling.


There’s little debate about how the team has done in red-ball cricket. Tell us how you look at the two series wins, Australia and the performance in England?
I will not trade the two series wins in Australia for any silverware. I can say this to you openly — those two series wins mean the world to me as coach. With a lot of our key players out injured, the boys showed what they are made of. What Indian cricket is all about? Steel. And I have to say the boys exceeded my expectations. In England, we again played fantastic cricket. That win at Lord’s, for example. Bowling them out in 50 overs. Look back and you will know what I am talking about.

But does it hurt to not win an ICC trophy with a team like this?
No doubt. As I said, I would have liked to win more. But it is also about building a team, winning Test series, creating a unit of steel. And that’s why I was there. So, no regrets.

How will you look at your partnership with Bharat Arun (bowling coach) and R Sridhar (fielding coach)? They, too, are moving on from their jobs and have been integral to this team.
Without doubt. Bharat is my friend, brother and more. What he has done for this team is unparalleled. His understanding with the boys is even better than mine because he has watched and nurtured some of them from their U-19 days when he was at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). His knowledge of the game, his understanding of sports science and biomechanics is impeccable. Bharat is the best guru Indian cricket could have had.

Sridhar is the best fielding coach I have come across in any part of the world. Whether we were all out for 36 or had scored 450, his intensity never dropped. The way he has shaped this team is just stupendous. He has a great future wherever he goes and whatever he does.

Virat Kohli signed off as India’s T20 captain. You two had quite a good relationship.
Virat has been the best ambassador the sport could have asked for. In the last five years, he has been the best man to stand up for Test cricket. An outstanding batsman and player, it was a pleasure to spend all these years with him trying to build the team. I wish him all the best going ahead for he has a lot to do in the next few years.

How do you see the next in line, Rohit Sharma?
Rohit is a fantastic leader. See, the way he has led the side each time he has had an opportunity, I have no doubt he will make a great captain. He is one of the best white-ball batters of all time and now in red-ball cricket he has found his mojo. To see Rohit successful in Test cricket has been one of my best moments.

You are passing on a well-rounded team. The foundation is strong and that should help Rahul Dravid a lot.
I wish Rahul all the very best. He has been one of the greatest batters for India and he will inherit a team that is battle ready. He will know he has some great boys and I remain confident he will push the bar higher and do some great things for Indian cricket. In fact, that’s what is expected of someone of his calibre.

And what about Ravi Shastri? Where does he go from here? Commentary or IPL, what’s the plan?
At the moment, nothing is firmed up. Like the five fingers in your hand, I have five different opportunities in front of me and commentary is just one of them. Let’s see which direction life takes me and what I do going ahead.