India skipper Virat Kohli, on Tuesday, insisted his team didn't come under prepared for the Test series against South Africa, contradicting coach Ravi Shastri's views that the side should have spent more time preparing.
India are in the middle of a phenomenal run in the shortest format of the game, and Team Director Ravi Shastri on Wednesday said that he expects his side to maintain consistency and make winning a habit to clinch a big tournaments like the World T20. Shastri said that India have got the right balance in the team and most of the big players are in form at the right time ahead of the ICC event. "We have got into a good habit of winning games. You might get the odd hiccup on the way. But it's important to maintain a level of consistency and treat every game as an important game. Every game is important from here on," he told a news conference. "To win a big tournament you need seven-eight individuals performing consistently. We are not a team of individuals. We are the Indian cricket team. "Virat (Kohli) is in outstanding form, and so is Rohit (Sharma)... MS (Dhoni) has done well lower down the order. Yuvraj (Singh) has struck form. Shikhar (Dhawan) has had his moments," Shastri said ahead of the World T20 warm-up game against the West Indies.
National chairman of selectors MSK Prasad on Tuesday said that he doesn't believe "you know more when you have played more", hitting back at his detractors for constantly demeaning his panel owing to its modest international record.
Showering praise on Virat Kohli, former India team director Ravi Shastri has said that the star Indian batsman's sensational form can only be beneficial to Indian cricket. Kohli is in the form of his life with four centuries in the ongoing IPL -- most by a player in a single T20 tournament. "Virat has hit a purple patch. Terrific batting. If he goes on like this, it will only keep on serving Indian cricket and be beneficial to it. The kind of batting on offer from him, he will make you stand up and applaud."
Head coach Rahul Dravid on Thursday stated that he hasn't signed any papers regarding the length of his contract extension with Team India.
Readers respond to 'Shastri, after 40 years'
Team India director Ravi Shastri lauded the groundstaff at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata even as the Cricket Association of Bengal came under severe criticism for 'inefficiency' in the India-South Africa third Twenty20 International which was called off without a ball being bowled because of wet outfield.
BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur on Monday said action will be taken against team director Ravi Shastri if he is found guilty of reportedly abusing Mumbai Cricket Association curator Sudhir Naik following India's defeat in the fifth and final One-Day International against South Africa on Sunday.
Former captain Sunil Gavaskar feels his ex-teammate Ravi Shastri is the favourite to become the head coach of the Indian cricket team based on the team's impressive showing during his two-year tenure as the team director.
Gavaskar wants Ashwin to lead team out on field in Dharamsala in his 100th Test.
The duo collected 16 wickets in the Delhi Test to add to their 15 in the first Test at Nagpur as India took a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series.
India's Team Director Ravi Shastri has said that while "experience cannot be bought in super market" the likes of Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Ashish Nehra will play only if they fit into the combination that the team is looking for, going into ICC World Twenty20.
Till now, the maximum Bharat Ratnas were awarded in 1999 when four recipients were given the coveted award.
'It is more to do with working on their mental strength, helping build their confidence, helping them stay organised in their daily activities as against tinkering with their style of play'
India coach Ravi Shastri equated India's maiden Test series win on Australia soil with the historic 1983 World Cup triumph terming it 'as big if not bigger'.
Ravi Shastri considers his 18-month stint as the Indian cricket team's Director the "most cherished and memorable phase" of his life but does not want to comment on whether he would seek a contract renewal. "I have no doubt in my mind that these are the best 18 months that I have spent during my association with Indian cricket as a player and then as a Team Director. It has been the most memorable phase of my life if I just look back at what we achieved as a team during this phase. Credit to the boys for making it special," Shastri told PTI when asked about his stint with the Indian team. Asked if he would apply for the Chief Coach's post for which BCCI will be advertising, Shastri gave a typical tongue-in-cheek reply. "I will only apply for accreditation of the IPL final," Shastri quipped.
Team director Ravi Shastri will join the Indian cricket team in Colombo on Friday night ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka beginning in Galle on August 12.
India head coach Ravi Shastri on Friday dispelled doubts about Mahendra Singh Dhoni's future, stating that the stalwart is not even "half finished yet" and is very much in the scheme of things for the 2019 World Cup in England.
A few nations are making a big mistake by trying to take advantage of the current mess that Indian Cricket Board is in.
India coach Ravi Shastri saw in Prithvi Shaw's batting, glimpses of two of the greatest batsmen of modern era and a non-conformist who redefined batsmanship.
The former Indian captain was upset on learning about media reports that a support staff meeting was held without Fletcher being present.
Indian Test captain Virat Kohli has hailed the BCCI's decision to retain Ravi Shastri as Team Director for the upcoming cricket tour of Bangladesh, saying that the former skipper infuses confidence in the side.
India is to tour England, from late June, for a full tour comprising T20s, ODIs and then Tests.
General secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Champat Rai on Monday announced that the idol of Lord Ram will be placed at its position at the 'garbh griha' of the temple on January 18 and Pran Pratishtha will take place at 12.20 pm on January 22.
"Ravi Shastri told Gulf News: 'It was an unbelievable experience, I had goosebumps.' He was so impressed by the response from the crowd on either side of the route that he refused to board the bus after handing over the torch and continued walking and shook hands with people for another 400 metres," according to Sunil Vaidya, a Muscat-based senior journalist.
Indian team's head coach Ravi Shastri gave the young wicketkeeper-batsman tips to work on specific skill sets ahead of the 11th edition of Indian Premier League.
Wankhede curator Sudhir Naik has written a strongly-worded letter to the Board of Control for Cricket in India calling for action against India's Team Director Ravi Shastri and bowling coach Bharat Arun for their abusive behaviour during the fifth and final One-Dayer against South Africa in Mumbai, on Sunday.
Javed Miandad feels Sarfaraz Ahmed was better suited to lead the Test team in Australia
Sachin Tendulkar performs Jal Abhishek at the Kashi Vishwanath temple.
Some of the members of India's 1983 World Cup-winning team celebrated India's victory in the second Test against Australia in Delhi with a dinner at Kapil Dev's residence in Delhi.
In a letter written to Rai, COA member Edulji accused the chairman and BCCI CEO Rahul Johri of breaking rules while appointing Ravi Shastri as the men's team coach in July last year.
The former India captain will help teach Graeme Smith's wards the finer points of press relation ahead of their tour of England.
Lal Bahadur Shastri is a New Gen venture that offers you just few chuckles and laughs here and there.
Rediff.com's Uttam Ghosh unravels the secret weapon which helped India get the better of hosts England in the ODI series.
Ravi Shastri believes Mumbai's cricketers have a headstart compared to players from other domestic teams in India.
Chandra was a boarder of the Lal Bahadur Shastri Hall of Residence of the IIT Kharagpur campus.
Earlier, there was a debate if Modi is entitled to adopt the role which usually goes to a "householder".
Former India captain and team director Ravi Shastri said Cheteshwar Pujara, who was not picked up by any of the teams for this year's Indian Premier League, deserves to be compensated handsomely as a reward for his consistent contributions to the Test team's success this home season.
Former India cricket captain Rav Shastri rejected criticism for not attending the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and Arjuna Awards committee meeting, saying that he was never informed by the Sports Ministry about it.
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