Minutes after the Indian squad bid an emotional farewell to Ravi Shastri as the team’s head coach, Shastri thanked former BCCI preisdent for convincing him to take up the job as Team Director in 2014.
“It’s been one heck of a journey for me. I know it is my last day in the dressing room, I just spoke to the boys, but I would like to thank the BCCI for giving me this opportunity, believing that I could do the job and I wish the coach coming after me all the luck,” Shastri said.
While thanking “all the committees, including Vinod Rai and his team” that appointed Shastri at the helm of the team’s affairs, Shastri singled out Srinivasan. “One man I would like to give special mention - his name is N Srinivasan. He was the man who insisted that I do this job in 2014. In fact, I didn’t have the belief I could do this job. He seemed to have more belief in my ability than I had, and I hope I haven’t let him down, so if Sir, you are listening, I got the opportunity and I did my work without any agenda.”
Despite India achieving success in Tests, Shastri’s tenure ended with India failing to make the cut for the semifinal in the ICC T20 World Cup.
“We are disappointed with the result in the first two games here. Let’s be honest here, I am not here to make any excuses,” he said. “We lacked the daring in the second game against New Zealand. It’s something for the boys to learn and they will get an opportunity again next year. Not often you have two World Cups in 12 months, so I hope they go there and kick some butt.”
The Indian team was “mentally and physically drained” during the T20 World Cup and didn’t even “try to win” as it wasn’t switched on during pressure situations in big games, outgoing head coach Ravi Shastri conceded before the side’s final match at the showpiece here on Monday.
Shastri, whose tenure as head coach ended this evening, also said that his successor Rahul Dravid has “inherited” a great team and will only raise the bar given his stature and experience.
Published - November 08, 2021 08:17 pm IST
