In unfamiliar position, Shastri starts afresh
when he took over in 2014, the team was down in the dumps.
Following India’s disastrous 2007 World Cup campaign, in which they were eliminated in the first round, Shastri was appointed as manager for the tour to Bangladesh. Then, after being routed in the Test series in England, a desperate cricket board got him in, in 2014. Both times, he was seen as the saviour.
Now, he has taken over the reins of a team in top gear, the No 1 ranked in the world, which had been playing dream cricket under Anil Kumble.
As Shastri returns to the country of his first oversees success as coach, it will bring a different kind of pressure. He will have to match up to his own standards as well to those set during Kumble’s tenure.
Even though the former India all-rounder has dismissed talk of added pressure, the comparisons with the team’s last year’s displays are inevitable.
In Sri Lanka, it will be about living up to expectations. In the 2015 series, a close fight was expected given India had not beaten Lanka at home for nearly two decades. This time, they will go into the series as favourites. Sri Lanka have almost been reduced to the status of minnows after narrowly escaping the ignominy of losing to Zimbabwe a few days ago.
The hosts are in a rebuilding phase and short on experience, and have been depleted further for the first Test by an ill skipper Dinesh Chandimal.
Anything less than complete domination by India in the threeTest series, which starts at Galle on July 26, will create some pressure on the chief coach.
Aware of the challenge that awaits them against Shastri’s men, the home team is doing what is in its hands – focus and prepare as best as it they can.
It was evident from the body language and workout at the Galle International Stadium on Sunday morning. After a grueling five-day game in the previous week, usually home teams take Sunday off to spend time with family and friends.
They started with a warm-up session involving a football game, before honing their catching and fielding skills. Stand-in skipper Rangana Herath and fast bowling coach, Chaminda Vaas then led the long nets session at the centre square.
Herath was operating in the spin bowlers’ net and Vaas was marshalling the fast bowlers’ preparation. In between, the batsmen used the practice facilities next to the main pavilion for throw downs.
RAVI SHASTRI HAS TAKEN OVER THE REINS OF A TEAM IN TOP GEAR, THE NO 1 RANKED IN THE WORLD, WHICH HAD BEEN PLAYING DREAM CRICKET UNDER ANIL KUMBLE.