Tri-series prior to World Cup was sheer waste of time: Ravi Shastri

Heaping praise on batting mainstay Virat Kohli, Shastri said the 26-year-old batsman has been the best-ever Indian performer on Australian soil.

PERTH: Indian team has performed to its potential in the cricket World Cup so far despite having being "mentally drained" by the preceding tri-series, according to Team Director Ravi Shastri who today dismissed that series as "sheer waste of time and energy".

India entered the quadrennial extravaganza following a winless tour Down Under, losing the Test series and being knocked out early in the tri-series which had Australia and England as the two other participants.

"I think the team was mentally drained after playing the tri-series. The boys needed to recharge their batteries and freshen up for the World Cup. The break from cricket did them a world of good as they came all guns blazing when it was required. And frankly speaking, I believe that this tri-series that we played was sheer waste of time and energy," Shastri told PTI in an exclusive interview here.

Shastri was not surprised by India's stunning turnaround of fortunes in the mega event where they have already won all their their matches, including the one against South Africa, convincingly.

"I am not at all surprised. In fact, why should I be surprised that the team has started on a magnificent note. I had complete belief in the boys and their abilities.

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"It was a case of performing to their potential and that's exactly what has happened in the two matches against Pakistan and South Africa. If you ask me, the script went on expected lines," the former Indian captain said.

Heaping praise on batting mainstay Virat Kohli, Shastri said the 26-year-old batsman has been the best-ever Indian performer on Australian soil.

"As far as I am concerned, I have never seen any Indian batsman perform better than Virat on Australian soil keeping Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman in mind as they have done exceptionally well.

"I mean show me one Indian batsman who has scored four centuries in four Test matches. He has been phenomenal. He was dominant and that's the reason we carried the attack back to Australian camp in all the Test matches."

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When asked if Kohli is destined to break all international batting records, he said, "I think that will be putting too much burden on one individual. He should be allowed to play freely and express himself in the best way possible."

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ICC World Cup 2015: Men who will make a difference

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Text: ET Bureau

Stephen Fleming was one of the most thinking captains of world cricket.

Let's see who the former New Zealand skipper picks as he chooses the men who will make the difference during the World Cup...

Text: ET Bureau

Stephen Fleming was one of the most thinking captains of world cricket.

Let's see who the former New Zealand skipper picks as he chooses the men who will make ..

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Knowing him as I do from our time together at the Chennai Super Kings I just have a feeling he could do something special.

It is true he has nothing to prove - he won the tournament on home soil as captain with a six, for goodness sake - but he thrives on the big stage in the biggest matches.

He loves being part of and winning battles and as he showed in the 2011 final, when he pushed himself up the order, he can be a catalyst for his team.

Knowing him as I do from our time together at the Chennai Super Kings I just have a feeling he could do something special.

It is true he has nothing to prove - he won the tournament on home s..

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Everyone is raving about AB de Villiers after his world record hundred from just 31 balls - and rightly so - but Faf du Plessis can be just as effective and destructive.

I know his ability having coached him at Chennai Super Kings. He is unorthodox but very driven and he has taken his game forward with huge strides in the past 12 to 18 months.

He is capable of digging in or blitzing the opposition and he will be a wicket every opposition side will be desperate to get and get early.

Everyone is raving about AB de Villiers after his world record hundred from just 31 balls - and rightly so - but Faf du Plessis can be just as effective and destructive.

I know his ability ha..

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Everyone knows that with Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka has a batting lineup to rank with every other side.

But without the retired Muttiah Muralitharan it is their bowling that will come under the microscope and so Malinga really must deliver.

He has lost some pace and comes into the tournament recovering from injury but if he can rise to the challenge then he can lift those around him; if not, it could get ugly for an attack that otherwise lacks that X-factor.

Everyone knows that with Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Angelo Mathews and Tillakaratne Dilshan, Sri Lanka has a batting lineup to rank with every other side.

But without the retired M..

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Eoin can be a match-winner in two ways: as captain and batsman.

The team needed a breath of fresh air and someone to lead by example and his hundred in the opening match of the pre-ICC Cricket World Cup tri-series against Australia will give him confidence.

If he gets runs then others can feed off that and although it is too early to know what sort of captain he is, if he can encourage some positivity and belief then England could, just could, be contenders.

Eoin can be a match-winner in two ways: as captain and batsman.

The team needed a breath of fresh air and someone to lead by example and his hundred in the opening match of the pre-ICC Cricke..

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When Afridi is on his game he can drag the team along almost singlehandedly.

His bowling has been consistently excellent and against New Zealand late last year he also added surprising maturity to his long-forgotten batting while still retaining his devastating ability to hit hard and long.

If he shines he will also take the pressure off others and as it is his last ICC Cricket World Cup, he will want to go out with a bang.

When Afridi is on his game he can drag the team along almost singlehandedly.

His bowling has been consistently excellent and against New Zealand late last year he also added surprising maturi..

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There is lots of focus, and rightly so, on Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson, but if Taylor can complement those two at No. 4 then that really will take New Zealand to a new level.

His form at the start of last year against India hinted at what he can do, as did his barnstorming innings against Pakistan in Pallekele four years ago, and he offers skills as either a stabiliser or a devastating finisher.

He will also feed off his mentor Martin Crowe's inspiration given Crowe's role as a Kiwi talisman 23 years ago.

There is lots of focus, and rightly so, on Brendon McCullum and Kane Williamson, but if Taylor can complement those two at No. 4 then that really will take New Zealand to a new level.

His for..

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There is lots of attention on David Warner and Aaron Finch at the top of the order but Maxwell is the man who, if he is hot, is capable of winning matches on his own.

I saw that first-hand in last year's Pepsi Indian Premier League when, for Kings XI Punjab, he destroyed Chennai Super Kings single-handedly.

He is unorthodox and I would use him as a floater in the order, give him license to go for his shots and fill him full of positive thoughts.

He is not a player you should count on every time but in tournaments like this, where you need big performances in big matches, he can be the difference between winning and losing.

There is lots of attention on David Warner and Aaron Finch at the top of the order but Maxwell is the man who, if he is hot, is capable of winning matches on his own.

I saw that first-hand in..

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The new, young captain holds the fortunes of the side in his hands.

The team has the potential to be a fractured environment after the omissions of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo and his ability to pull the players together and get them fighting for the cause will be fundamental.

He can do that through leadership and also through performances with bat and ball.

If he cannot lift the team through action and deed then the wheels could easily fall off.

The new, young captain holds the fortunes of the side in his hands.

The team has the potential to be a fractured environment after the omissions of Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo and his abi..

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