Ravi Shastri opens up on importance of communication with selectors

Former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has opined that communication between the team management and the selectors is very important for the success of a side. During his tenure as a head coach, Shastri recalled that he never asked the selectors to pick a particular player.

The former Indian all-rounder said he told the selectors what kind of a combination he wanted in his team and then it was the selectors’ job to give him the right player for a particular role.

Under Shastri’s tenure, India surged to new heights and the team was able to get positive results, while playing at home as well as away.

Ravi Shastri said on Prabhat Khabhar YouTube podcast, “Selectors are very important, and communication too. When I was coach, I never told a selector to pick someone or pick this one or that one. I only said that I need this combination, it is your job. You watch first-class cricket. You travel around the country to see young talent. It is your responsibility to give me that combination. I am not going around the country to see who is the best off-spinner. If I have heard something from another player or someone, I always ask players because they play. And whether it is a first-class player or a Test player, I ask them if they noticed someone good. If they say yes, then I tell the selector, just keep an eye on him. If you think he is good, bring him into the team.”

Shastri said the selectors need to have the right sense to pick a bowler like Jasprit Bumrah and a batter like Rishabh Pant.

“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 named Virat Kohli as the most influential Indian Test cricketer of the last decade.

“It’s too early. It’s a young team (India). 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.”

Kohli scored 302 runs in three ODIs against South Africa at an average of 151.