Ravi Shastri may not have won an ICC trophy during his reign as the head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team but during his time, they achieved several firsts with back-to-back historic Test series win on Australian soil being the biggest achievement. He came close to winning an ICC title when India qualified for the final of the World Test championship but New Zealand beat them in the title clash.
To Shastri’s credit, India did win two consecutive Asia Cup titles (2016 and 2018) but the former India allrounder says the public memory is short and nobody recalls those trophies from his tenure.
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“In our country, public memory is short. If you have to win, you have to win. During my tenure, we won two Asia Cups, but no one remembers. Has anyone mentioned Asia Cup? We’ve won it twice. And no one talks about it. But when we lose in Asia Cup, then the tournament comes into the picture. Why? That’s why I’m saying, the effort should always be there,” Shastri told Sports Tak.
Shastri stepped down following India’s exit from the 2021 T20 World Cup and was succeeded into the role by another legendary cricketer in Rahul Dravid.
Dravid, who won U19 World Cup title as coach in 2018, is yet to end India’s trophy drought in ICC tournaments. The 2022 T20 WC was his first major ICC event as the head coach of the senior team but India exited in the semifinal stage.
Additionally, India have suffered defeats on the South African soil since he took over (clean sweep in both Tests and ODIs) and lost a rescheduled Test in England last year resulting in the series ending in a 2-2 draw.
But Dravid will have two shots at winning ICC titles this year including the final of the World Test Championship in June followed by the ODI World Cup in October-November.
“It takes time. It took me time and it’s going to take him time too. But Rahul has an advantage that he was at the NCA, he was with the A team as well and now he’s here too. He is experienced with the contemporary cricketer players and with the system. Give him time,” Shastri said.
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“Everyone wants to win but what’s important is to put your best foot forward. And see what happens. Sometimes you don’t play your best cricket and still you’ll win the game but you’re going to have to be extremely lucky for that to win a World Cup. Very few teams win a World Cup by not playing well on that day. Very rare,” he added.
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