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Indian Test cricket team under the leadership of former skipper Virat Kohli and former head coach Ravi Shastri did a remarkable job in the longest format of the game in recent times. The duo produced a brilliant performance to establish themselves as one of the best teams in world cricket.
Not taken seriously
While talking about his stint as the head coach of the Indian team, Shastri recalled that people laughed when back in 2017 he had opined that the attempt was to be the “best travelling team in the world.”
After the 4-1 Test series defeat against England, back in 2018, Shastri knew that something big was going to happen.
In reality, something big did happen as team India went on to beat Australia and England in Test series away from home.
Against England, the Kohli-led Indian Test team won the second and fourth Test match of the series but due to positive Covid-19 cases, the final Test match in Manchester had to be postponed. The visitors had to face a defeat in the third Test match by an innings and 76 runs.
Shastri's words
“I think the endeavour was to make this the best travelling team in the world. I said that back in 2017. People started laughing. But indirectly it was a challenge to the boys saying that you can do it, you know, once we had our pace-bowling attack in place. But we got hit by the bullets. We lost a close series in South Africa 2-1. We lost in England as well, 4-1, which could have been 3-2 in our favour with a little bit of luck,” Shastri said, during his conversation with former Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar, on his YouTube show.
“But after losing those two series I knew that we are on the way. Now something big will happen. We were strong and fit. Gave a lot of attention to fitness, me and Virat both and it did wonders. And then we turned the corner in Australia. Australia is probably the toughest place in the world to play. They are born to play hard cricket. I knew if we can compete here, and put it across to them, it will be the ultimate.” he explained.
