The final league game against Namibia marks an end to Ravi Shastri -Virat Kohli era of Indian cricket. The dup took over in 2017 after the Champions Trophy and over the next four years have tasted success in all formats. Shastri as head coach did the impossible of winning two-Test match series against Australia in Australia. The Indian side dominated at both home and away under the former Indian player.
Ahead of the game against Nambia, Ravi Shastri looked back at his time with the Indian team and said that he was very proud of his achievements.
” It (journey) has been fantastic. When I took this job, I said in my mind I want to make a difference and I think I have. Sometimes in life, it’s not all about what you accomplish, it’s what you overcome. And what these guys have overcome over the last five years, the way they have travelled across the globe and performed in every part of the globe in all formats of the game will make this – irrespective of what’s happened here – as one of the great teams in the history of the game. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind. It’s unfortunate that we are out of this tournament but that takes nothing away from a great side” Shastri said.
Meanwhile, this is Virat Kohli’s 50th match as India’s T20I skipper. Winning 33 games he has maintained a win percentage of over 66 percent.
Twitter, meanwhile has paid huge respect to Ravi Shastri as the Indian head coach. “Thank You Shastri” was trending on Twitter as the Indian cricket fans and experts paid homage to his achievements as India coach.
End of An Era: Twitter Reacts To Ravi Shastri’s Legacy With Team India
Two hours remain before India begin their last match with Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, and team.
Thank you for the greatest Indian team of all time, for taking Indian cricket to unprecedented heights.
— Abhishek Mukherjee (@ovshake42) November 8, 2021
Ravi Shastri hits out at BCCI in his last interview: The players need some rest. It's been six months of continuous cricket without any rest. A rest after IPL would have been ideal.#INDvNAM #ViratKohli #BCCI #India
— Nirmit Mehta (@NirmitMehta10) November 8, 2021
In disaster lies opportunity.
Ravi Shastri on his way out.
Drop Virat Kohli as captain. Let him focus on batting. With money, Mumbai and celebrity, Delhi boy has lost hunger for success, is massively distracted, being manipulated by propagandists. Old Virat needs to be back.— Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) November 7, 2021
Since Ravi Shastri was appointed head coach in July 2017, 🇮🇳’s record:
Test: Won 25, Lost 13
ODI: Won 53, Lost 23
T20I: Won 43, Lost 20I genuinely don’t understand why it’s controversial to call this 🇮🇳’s best ever cricket side. Which other one could match this record? https://t.co/G9n7KdHEN2
— Michael Appleton (@michelappleton) November 8, 2021
Ravi Shastri says, ‘I’m mentally drained, the boys are physically & mentally drained!’
Look at #TeamIndia’s schedule! It’s atrocious! Add to that bio-bubbles! You can’t discount the fatigue when you talk of their performances. #T20WorldCup #INDvNAM
— Tanay Tiwari (@Tanay_Tiwari) November 8, 2021
Player, captain, commentator, columnist, presenter, anchor, NCA head, team manager/director, part-time coach, full-time coach. Can't think of a space Ravi Shastri hasn't delved in. Have asked him lately, what do you make of all this? "Let time be the judge, Shrini".
Top man!
— KSR (@KShriniwasRao) November 8, 2021
I absolutely love Ravi Shastri, will miss him as the coach.
— 𝑷𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒕 (@Kohliesque) November 8, 2021
Tonight will be India's final match of #T20WorldCup
Last match of Virat Kohli as T20 skipper. And last game of Ravi Shastri as India head coach.
Expecting youngsters getting to play tonight.May see Ishan Kishan, Rahul Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Bhuvneshwar Kumar in the XI tonight.— Sarang Bhalerao (@bhaleraosarang) November 8, 2021
Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri – the duo is set make ways after tonight's game against Namibia. Virat to captain final time in T20is, Ravi to end his stay as India's Head Coach.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 8, 2021
After T20 World Cup, Hopefully Ravi Shastri will be back to commentary. Many Iconic Indian Cricket moments awaits for his commentary voice. pic.twitter.com/Bjk9PqISbW
— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan) November 8, 2021
#TeamIndia's last match at the #T20WorldCup tonight will mark the end of the tenures of Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun and R Sridhar.
Here's congratulating them for their achievements during their time as support staff, and wishing them the best for the future. 🤝#INDvNAM pic.twitter.com/uelmXKVzS8
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) November 8, 2021
https://twitter.com/VIRATcrazy18/status/1457696219535343617?s=20
One last time – go well, Ravi Shastri, Bharat Arun, R Sridhar – will be remembered forever, the legacy in Test cricket is the biggest achievement in their coaching period.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 8, 2021
Under Ravi Shastri as head coach, India pulled off the unexpected, winning 2 Test series in Australia & setting one up in England, had a 12-4 & 15-2 series win-loss ratio in ODIs & T20Is respectively but didn’t pull off what many expected of them, win an ICC event #T20WorldCup
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) November 8, 2021
Out of 10, how would you rate Ravi Shastri's performance as India's head coach? 🤔
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) November 8, 2021
Shastri also said that under Rahul Dravid, the team would prosper for greater heights in the future. He further said that Rahul can only raise the bard set by him with the Indian team for the last three to four years.
“In Rahul Dravid, they’ve got a guy who has inherited a great team and I think with his experience, he can only raise the bar in time to come. There are still players here who will play for another 3-4 years which is very important. It is not a team in transition and that’ll make the biggest difference. Virat is still there, he has done a fantastic job as the leader of the side, he’s been the biggest ambassador for Test cricket over the last five years. Lot of credit goes to him in the way he’s thought about how he wants the team to play the game and how the team has rallied around him” concluded Shastri.
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