Outgoing head coach Ravi Shastri claims that the Indian cricket team players are mentally and physically drained after staying in the bio-secure bubble for the last six months. Team India had a horror start to the T20 World Cup campaign with back-to-back defeats against Pakistan and New Zealand. The Men in Blue bounced back in the tournament with back-to-back massive wins over Afghanistan and Scotland but it was too late for them as New Zealand sealed a place in the semis with four wins out of five matches. While Pakistan remained the only team to remain unbeaten in the Super 12 stage.
Ahead of his last match as India’s head coach Shastri said that there should have been a bigger gap between the IPL and T20 World Cup.
“The team has been in a bubble for the last 6 months. I am mentally drained but these players are mentally and physically drained. We would have ideally liked a bigger gap between the IPL and the T20 World Cup," Shastri told the T20 WC broadcasters Star Sports.
“Not an excuse, we are not scared of losing - in trying to win you will lose a game," he added.
The 59-year-old talked about his tenure as the head coach of the Indian team and said sometimes in life, it’s not about all you accomplish, it’s about what you overcome which he thinks the players have overcome a lot in the last five years.
“I think it’s been fantastic. When I took this job, I said in my mind that I want to make a difference. And I think I have. Sometimes in life, it’s not about all you accomplish, it’s about what you overcome. And what these guys have overcome in the last 5 years, the way they’ve performed in all corners of the world in all formats, will make this one of the greatest teams in the history of the game," Shastri said.
According to reports, Shastri has been approached for a coaching role by the Ahmedabad franchise in IPL. The report suggests that Shastri have told the franchise owners to give him some time as he wants to focus on the India team for the T20 World Cup and will make his decision after the last match.
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