Former India head coach Ravi Shastri underlined how crucial smooth communication is between team management and the selection committee. The 63-year-old revealed that while he was in charge, he never directly requested selectors to choose any specific player, but only conveyed the type of team combination he was looking for.
Shastri also mentioned that his instincts played a big role in deciding which players should be brought into the squad, referring to names like Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant. He added that selecting Bumrah required a strong sense of judgment, pointing out how the fast bowler was first picked only for white-ball cricket and eventually evolved into a successful red-ball bowler.
He stated [via Prabhat Khabar]:
“Selectors are crucial, and so is communication. When I was coach, I never told them to pick any player. I only mentioned the combination I wanted and left the rest to them. It’s their job to watch domestic cricket and identify talent. If someone mentioned a promising player, I simply asked the selectors to keep an eye on him and bring him in if they felt he was good.”
“And whenever I feel that someone should be brought in, it is that gut feeling, like with Bumrah, like with many players, like Rishabh. What I am saying is you need to have that sense to pick Bumrah. Bumrah is a dada bowler. We made him a white-ball bowler, so how did he become a red-ball bowler today?” he added.
Shastri Calls Kohli the Decade’s Most Impactful Test Player
During the same interaction, Ravi Shastri was asked to identify the most iconic player in the present Indian squad. He responded that although the team is going through a transitional phase, when judging the last ten years of Test cricket, Virat Kohli clearly stands apart for his remarkable impact on the format. He stated:
“It’s too early. It’s a young team (India). And It’s a team in transition. But if I look at the last decade, I think in Test match cricket, Virat Kohli was the most influential player. Not just for India but for Test match cricket. He was an ambassador for Test match cricket.”
“The way he played, his attitude, everything is there for everyone to see. And then when you look at world-class players coming through the ranks, you have to look at Bumrah. Already, in a span of six years, he is rated as one of the best.”
Get the latest cricket news here, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for more such updates.
