End of a journey: Ravi Shastri signs off as India head coach

As Shastri moves on as Head Coach of the Indian team, there is every reason for him to look back with satisfaction. While he hasn’t won an ICC Trophy — something he desperately wanted to do as Coach — he did achieve things that have never happened before in the history of Indian cricket.

Shastri steered Indian cricket to two Test series wins against Australia in Australia — the second with seven top players out injured. He followed it up with a very good effort in England and though the series is not yet won, leading England 2-1 in their backyard is commendable.

“When we started out, the most important agenda in front of us was to create the world’s best Test team. We had to pick 20 wickets consistently and needed to play five bowlers to do so. That I will say was Ravi’s most telling contribution. Virat (Kohli) bought into the idea and we made sure that we always played five bowlers irrespective of conditions,” said bowling coach Bharat Arun looking back at the last four years.

“We want to win in all formats and in every part of the world. That’s how Indian cricket has been the last few years. While we haven’t won an ICC tournament, we are sure it will be done in the next couple of years and the team is ready for it,” he added.

“The best thing about Ravi bhai is he gives you confidence. Whatever the match situation is, he will speak up for you, make you feel you are the best and get you ready for tough situations. It’s unfair to see him being abused and trolled after all that he has done for the team the last few years,” said a very senior member of the team not wanting to be named.

Having taken over the reins of the team in tumultuous circumstances in July 2017, Shastri has had a fascinating four years at the helm. Each win at home, for example, was followed by questions. “Can you do the same overseas?” was the common refrain. Tired of hearing the word overseas, it became an obsession of sorts with Shastri and the team.

Shastri, in his playing days, was a limited player with a huge heart. “If Ravi had more talent, he would have been the best ever,” says Kapil Dev. And that’s what he brought to the Indian dressing room. Fearless is a term much used in Indian cricket off late and it best defines Shastri’s philosophy. From being a tailender, he managed to open the innings for India and get a hundred against the West Indies and a double hundred against Australia. A hardened professional, Shastri, as the players will vouch, was never guarded while protecting them.

Soon after India had won the U-19 World Cup in January 2017, the country celebrated the contribution of coach Rahul Dravid. It was great for Dravid had mentored the likes of Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill to perfection and had helped create a supremely talented supply line for the senior team. By the same logic, credit should have been given to Shastri and the support unit when India won in the SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) countries. Yet, Shastri is more trolled than admired. It is almost fashionable to attack him and deny credit due to him.

“I don’t mind the trolls. If that makes people happy, so be it. All I am concerned about is creating an Indian cricket team that will be stronger going forward,” Shastri said.

Shastri is no god. He has made mistakes. But he has also helped nurture a team that has now made winning overseas a habit and may just go on to be the best team in the next couple of years. And that’s what will give him a permanent place in Indian cricket’s pantheon.

To end with a thought: West Indies, by far the best team in the 1980s, did not win a World Cup. But it did not make them all bad.