The Indian cricket team enjoyed a great run in the year 2019, and will now be looking ahead to the World T20 in Australia. But before that, they have an all-important tour of New Zealand, which is expected to be a challenging one, or at least not as easy as the series at home. Winning a Test series away from home is a huge deal, but head coach Ravi Shastri is optimistic.
Speaking to IANS, Shastri spoke about Kohli’s love for Test cricket and his belief that the current Indian bowling attack is the best in the world.
The New Zealand series will be crucial to India’s pacers – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, and Ishant Sharma because conditions there help fast bowlers.
Shastri said that it was last year in South Africa when he realized that the current crop of fast bowlers is second to none. “I was very clear in South Africa after we had a team meeting after the first day of the Cape Town Test. Then, seeing what they did in the second innings, I had no doubt in my mind that if they carry on in this fashion, very soon you will be an attack that will have to be contended with. The fact that they learned to bowl as a unit, made all the difference,” he said.
“You bat as a unit and the same goes for bowling. You understand the situation and go with a common game plan. It is all related to team play. Once I knew what was happening in South Africa, I knew it was a matter of time for the world to notice,” he added, implying that they could do the same in New Zealand too.
He also spoke of Virat’s love for Test cricket, saying that he has influenced many others to take interest in the longest format.
“Massive…not just for the Indian team, but the world when it comes to Test cricket. More than anything else, when a player like him endorses the game in an open manner where he is very clear what he wants out of Test cricket and that he enjoys that format the most.” he concluded.
