India had lost to New Zealand 0-2 before touring Australia in 2020-21. Pressure was on then-India head coach Ravi Shastri to turn the tables Down Under. Ironically, things are exactly similar three years down the line for the Indian team as they embark on a new rivalry against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), which starts on Friday. With the 0-3 drubbing at the hands Kiwis earlier this month, current head coach Gautam Gambhir is certainly feeling the heat.
Shastri understands the pressure Gambhir is going through at the moment. In the midst of social media criticisms on Gambhir by the former cricketers, the former India opener found the back of Shastri in the most difficult time of his coaching career.
The 62-year-old, who was the India head coach for seven years before moving on to his broadcasting duties again, urged Gambhir to not let the outside noises come inside.
“I think the first thing would be to be calm. You know, don’t let outside elements influence you in any way. Because of that, don’t get into a position where knee-jerk reactions happen,” Shastri said while responding to a question on Star Sports press room on the eve of first India vs Australia Test match.
“I think be calm. Get to understand your players. You will see them in match situations. You will see them in India. You will see them overseas. You will notice what it takes for a player to tick. You will understand situations of a team where a certain player might be better than the other, just because of your understanding of his temperament,” added Shastri, under whom, India won the BGT in 2020-21 in Australia.
‘Understanding players’ mindsets is important’
For anything in this world, there is nothing called overnight success. To make a successful India team that is in transition, one coach needs to understand each and everyone in the team, their temperament, nature and so on. Shastri said the same to Gambhir.
“These things don’t come overnight. It took me some time to understand everyone. Gautam might have seen them from the outside in the IPL. He might have sat with a few players in the dressing room when he played the game.
“But there are a lot of other players, and they come from different mindsets, different cultures, different parts of the country. For you to dig deep and understand their mindsets would be the most important thing.
“There could be a player who is an introvert, but if you push him out there and give him the confidence, he could be a match-winner for you. So, understanding those kinds of guys and then making them go out and play in that fashion is key,” added the former India cricketer who will be commentating in the BGT.
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