New Delhi, Nov 21 (PTI) Ravi Shastri guided India to back-to-back series wins in Australia and his short advice to current head coach Gautam Gambhir is to “stay calm” over the course of five Tests Down Under and avoid knee-jerk reactions.
Known for his aggressive temperament, Gambhir has been recently labelled “prickly” by a few former Australian cricketers as he faces his biggest challenge since taking charge in July.
“The first thing would be to stay calm and not let outside elements influence you in any way,” Shastri advised Gambhir while talking to media in the Star Sports press room.
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“Avoid getting into positions where knee-jerk reactions happen. Stay calm and focus on understanding your players. You’ll notice what it takes for a player to thrive.”
Shastri said the key to success lies in understanding players and empowering them in match situations.
“You’ll understand team situations where a certain player might be better suited than another, based on your understanding of their temperament.
“These insights don’t come overnight — it took me some time to understand everyone. Gautam might already have a basic understanding of the players’ temperaments. He might have seen them in the IPL or sat in the dressing room with them when he played.
“However, there are many players with different mindsets, cultures, and backgrounds. For example, there could be a player who’s an introvert, but with the right push and confidence, he could become a match-winner for you. “Understanding those kinds of players and enabling them to work and play in a way that brings out their best would be crucial.”
India may have gone to Australia on the back of an unprecedented 0-3 loss to New Zealand at home but Shastri feels Pat Cummins and Co will never underestimate the visitors who have held the trophy since 2016-17.
“One thing is clear — this Australian team will never underestimate India, no matter who has come to play. They’ll be quietly confident but won’t let that confidence get too high.
“They’ll be desperate to win, as they haven’t won in their own country the last two times and haven’t had their hands on the trophy in close to 10 years. That desperation will be there,” he added.
Asked if there would be additional pressure on premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who would stand-in as skipper in the Perth Test with Rohit Sharma on paternity leave, Shastri said he should not “overtry”.
“These are things that happen naturally, beyond your control. There’s nothing you can do about it. You have to think ahead, see what’s in your hands, and act accordingly.
“You’ve got the ammunition and players with experience, so it’s important for Gautam to motivate them to take on Australia,” Shastri said.
Shastri believes Bumrah will face pressure as captain.
“Pressure will be on Bumrah, no doubt about that. Any captain will feel the heat in this situation.
“But Bumrah is a mature and competitive cricketer. Let’s not forget he’s the best fast bowler in the world right now. The Aussies know what they’re up against—they might come after him, but they also know he’ll come after them.
“He shouldn’t overtry due to captaincy pressure. If he sticks to his strengths and bowls like a team player, he’ll be fine.”
A key man in India’s historic Test wins in Australia, Cheteshwar Pujara, is not part of the Test side anymore and Shastri feels KL Rahul is one player who can “bat long”
“Pujara is Pujara. Please don’t compare him with anyone. People used to literally do “puja” to Pujara, asking him to stay at the crease, and we’d win the series in Australia — and it happened that way. So don’t compare. What he did was outstanding.
“When you look at this team and who’s got the technique, KL Rahul is one player who can bat long if he gets a good start. He has runs in overseas conditions and is on his third tour of Australia.
Shastri feels the first two Tests in Perth and Adelaide could prove decisive in the final outcome of the series. “If one team takes the upper hand in these two games, they’ll likely go on to win the series,” Shastri concluded.
