Ravi Shastri’s tenure as Team India’s head coach saw the side become one of the most incredible Test playing countries. Under Shastri, India registered twin series wins in Australia, and furthermore accomplished world no.1 ranking in the longest format of the game. Nonetheless, the one thing that India failed to accomplish under Shastri was a World title. While India lost in the final of the World Test Championship to New Zealand in 2021, the side likewise conceded a semi-final defeat in the 2019 ODI World Cup and was knocked out in the group stages of the T20 World Cup last year.
The failure to win an ICC trophy under his tenure largely remains the one blotch in Shastri’s legacy as India’s head coach. And the former India cricketer talked about the same during his commentary stint during the side’s match vs West Indies. Opening up about the reason behind India’s failure to win an ICC title, Shastri stressed on the lack of a genuine all-rounder in the Indian team.
“I have always wanted a guy who could bowl in top-6. And with Hardik getting injured, it became a massive problem. And it cost India. It cost India a couple of World Cups. Because we didn’t have anyone who could bowl in the top six. So, that was a liability. We told the selectors, ‘look for someone’. But then, who is there?” Shastri said on FanCode.
Hardik is presently rested for the three-match ODI series vs West Indies, but will come back to the team for the T20Is.
