After 36 all out, this is unreal, says Shastri
BRISBANE: India head coach Ravi Shastri on Tuesday described his injury-hit side’s gritty Test series victory over Australia as unreal, especially after the Adelaide debacle, where the visitor was dismissed for its lowest score of 36.
Shastri also said that the just-concluded series was the toughest tour ever for him. “It is the toughest tour ever. Nothing surpasses this. After 36 all out, this is unreal,” chief coach Shastri said after the three-wicket win in the fourth and final Test here, which sealed the series 2-1 in favour of tourist India.
“Feeling defeated is one thing but giving up is not in our vocabulary,” he added. Later, Shastri said that India’s performance would not be forgotten by the cricket world for a long time to come.
Shastri was also effusive in his praise for young wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who has copped heavy criticism for erratic performances behind the stumps but earned renewed respect for his efforts with the bat.
“In his mind, Pant was always chasing. You could see he was looking at the scoreboard. He is a good listener. As coach, you don’t want to change anyone’s natural ability, but you need to strike the right balance between caution and aggression. You can’t be reckless. Rishabh has learnt that,” added Shastri.
Shastri said that Pant, who scored a 97 in the drawn Sydney Test, could have won that match for India, had he stayed. “He could have finished the game in Sydney had he been there for some more time. This time, he made sure he was there till the end,” said the head coach.