T20 World Cup: This Indian Team is One of the Great Teams in History, Ravi Shastri Hails Virat Kohli & Co as he Signs Off Against Namibia

T20 World Cup: Ravi Shastri Hails Virat Kohli & Co as 'One of the Great Teams' as he Signs Off Against Namibia

Dubai: Ravi Shastri is all set to to step down as the coach of the Indian Cricket Team as the Men in Blue face Namibia in their last T20 World Cup Super 12 encounter at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Monday. India failed to reach the semi-final stage of the competition and along with Shastri, Virat Kohli will also relinquish his role as captain from the shortest format of the game after this match.

Ravi Shastri at the pre-match interaction said that he always wanted to make a difference in the team ever since he got the job of the head coach. He added that he has absolutely no doubt in mind that this current team will go down as one of the best in history irrespective of all the results.

‘It has been fantastic. When I took this job, I said in my mind I want to make a difference and I think I have. Sometimes in life, it’s not all about what you accomplish, it’s what you overcome. And what these guys have overcome over the last five years, the way they have travelled across the globe and performed in every part of the globe in all formats of the game will make this – irrespective of what’s happened here – as one of the great teams in the history of the game. I have absolutely no doubt in my mind. It’s unfortunate that we are out of this tournament but that takes nothing away from a great side,’ Shastri told.

Taking about the high points of his career, the former India international said that beating the big guns in overseas conditions was the team’s endeavour and the team has been successful in doing it in all three formats.

“Across all formats there are plenty. But winning in red-ball cricket across the globe – West Indies, Sri Lanka, Australia, England we are leading the series. It could be the longest lead in the history of cricket because the next Test is next year. To go across and beat all these sides every team in white-ball cricket – T20 or 50 over – we have beaten sides in their den which was my endeavour and team’s endeavour. We were always labelled as big bullies at home, but when you had to travel outside you didn’t have the goods. But this team has shown they have more and plenty of that,” Shastri said.

Shastri believes that new coach, Rahul Dravid will only the raise the bar in time to come with his vast experience.

“In Rahul Dravid, they’ve got a guy who has inherited a great team and I think with his experience, he can only raise the bar in time to come,” he concluded.