Published: Jan 03, 2022, 10:13 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 03, 2022, 10:13 AM (IST)
New Delhi: Former India left-arm spinner Maninder Singh reserved high praise for former India coach Ravi Shastri and said that since he has played with the 59-year-old and shared the same dressing room, it didn’t come as a surprise to him since he always knew how to get the best out of himself, adding that he was one of the best coaches that India had ever got, at least in terms of the record which speaks for itself.
“Records are good for Ravi Shastri as coach of India even though he didn’t win any ICC trophy. I know Ravi personally and I have played with him and he could motivate himself very well. And when I hear him speak and I have heard him speak to the boys, a couple of times and it has been shown on news, he had that ability to motivate the boys,” said Maninder in an exclusive chat with india.com.
“And that’s what got him the best results. You could say he was one of the best coaches that India had ever got but then again you also have to consider him lucky that he got to play a lot of cricket in India and so is Virat Kohli,” feels the 56-year-old.
Having won the Test series in Australia after being bowled out for 36 at Adelaide and that too without regular skipper Virat Kohli, Maninder reckons that Shastri has something about himself and at the end of the day, 10-minutes of motivational talk is enough for the boys to go out there and perform.
“Shastri won two series in Australia even though the first one was without Steven Smith and David Warner. But they were there in the last series down under and coming back after being bowled out for 36 at Adelaide and then going on to win the series, that too without Kohli was commendable,” reckons the former India left-arm spinner.
“So he must be having something in him which many people haven’t seen but since I have played the game with him, I knew that when he used to speak, it used to mean something. So, I can imagine what he did to the boys. 10-minutes of motivational talk is enough for the boys to go out there and perform,” he added.
