Bhubaneswar: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has seen many highs as well as lows during his tenure with the team. During his tenure, Team India lost in the finals of a number of ICC limited overs tournament and also in the summit clash of the World Test Championships. However, even though Ravi Shastri was disappointed with the losses, nothing was as painful as India getting bowled out for a paltry score of 36 at Adelaide during the Australian series last year.
In spite of such a debacle, India, despite injury problems managed to turn things around and won the series 2-1. However, Shastri describe during an interview with the ‘The Week’ how the entire team went numb after being bowled out for 36, India’s lowest total in Test cricket.
“The entire contingent was ‘numb’ and ‘in a state of shock’ as the famed Indian batting line-up capitulated in only 21.2 overs,” Shastri was quoted as saying. Incidentally Josh Hazlewood picked up five wickets while Pat Cummins four as India capitulated meekly.
“See, the coach is in the firing line; there is no choice. That is the quirk of the job. You have to be ready from day one. I knew there would be no escape routes. The 36 all out was the lowest point. We had nine wickets in hand [overnight] and then we were bundled out for 36. All that had to be done was score 80-odd more runs (to be in the game). We were all numb. We were in a state of shock for days. How could that have happened?” Shastri was quoted as saying.
Shastri informed that he remained unperturbed by the criticism. He took the blame on himself for the poor show, and asked the team to forget everything and perform. “The results were there for everyone to see. In the end, we won the series and ended as the winners of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy,” Shastri stated.
“It was not just me. I would be the first to put my hand up and say I was the one responsible, take the brickbats; there is no place to hide. I told the boys to focus on what they could do. The boys were unbelievable. One month after that 36 all out, January 19, we had won the series. I am still thinking, how did it happen? I promise, as long as I live, people will talk about that series win,” added Shastri.
