Under Ravi Shastri’s tenure as head coach, the coveted ICC trophy has continued to elude the Indian trophy cabinet. However, it was not always doom and gloom while Shastri drew up plans behind the curtains with skipper Virat Kohli and company. As Shastri’s tenure comes to an end with Kohli also stepping down from T20I captaincy, here’s a look back at the achievements of the dynamic partnership that has been under the spotlight in the last few years.
# Border Gavaskar Trophy win (2018-19): While many would say that Australia were missing their key players David Warner and Steve Smith in the aftermath of sandpapergate, it is no easy feat to defeat Australia in their own backyard. A spirited effort from Kohli’s brigade helped India script history by becoming the first Asian team to beat Australia in a Test series on their home soil.
# Another Test triumph in Australia (2020-21): While Virat Kohli had to fly back home to welcome his new-born baby after the 36 all out nightmare, Shastri along with stand-in skipper Ajinkya Rahane battled the demons and defeated Australia to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy once again. This time Australia did not have any excuse as they were not missing the services of Warner and Smith.
# World Test Championship final (2021): India may feel hard done by rain interruptions in foreign conditions, India’s consistent run in the longest format of the game helped India reach the final of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC). India lost the final by eight wickets in a closely-fought game after dominating teams at home and away.
# ODI World Cup semi-final (2019): India were considered as the favourites to win the 50-over World Cup for the third time. They had dominated teams in the group stages and lost their only match to hosts England in the group stage. However, Kohli’s brigade faced a agonising narrow defeat at the hands of Kiwis on the reserve day after heroics of Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni who played his last ODI game.
# India were on the cusp of creating history after taking a 2-1 lead in the five-match Test series against England after the WTC final. They were expected to win the series as rain threat loomed large in Lancashire but the final game of the tour was suspended due to Covid-19 outbreak in the Indian camp including coach Shastri and support staff.
# In the shortest format, India won a T20I series in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia including a 5-0 whitewash against the Kiwis.
# India dominated in the Caribbean conditions as well winning the Test series in 2019 where India’s bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah registered his best bowling figures.
# India toured Sri Lanka in 2017 and whitewashed them in the three-Test series with comprehensive wins (two innings defeat for hosts).
# During their time, India formed a potent pace bowling unit that shone in all conditions and against the best in the world.
# India absolutely dominated teams in Test cricket by staying at top of the ICC Test rankings for a long period of 42 months from 2016 to 2020 (Shastri too over in 2017).
