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Cricket PlayersIndia vs Australia: 'I got emotional, had tears in my eyes,' says Ravi Shastri after India's historic win
India vs Australia: Known for his one-liners, Shastri was still gathering his thoughts after what unfolded here. A mammoth target of 328 was chased down without too much fuss by a fearless bunch of youngsters.
India head coach Ravi Shastri admitted that he had tears in his eyes when India beat Australia by three wickets in the 4th Test to claim the series 2-1 and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Shastri, who was given a lot of credit for making a bunch of youngsters believe they can beat the tough Australian side in their own backyard, said he is not someone who lets emotions get the better of him but this time even he could not hold back his tears.
"I got emotional. I am not someone who generally has tears in his eyes and even I got emotional," the India head coach, still trying to soak in what his wards had achieved, confessed after his team of mostly greenhorns outfoxed Australia 2-1 in a Test series.
"I had tears because this is unreal. What these guys have pulled off will go down in history as one of the greatest series ever played. When you look at the COVID situation and state of injuries and then to show the stomach for a fight, after being bowled out for 36 is unimaginable," said the veteran of 80 Tests.
Known for his one-liners, Shastri was still gathering his thoughts after what unfolded here. A mammoth target of 328 was chased down without too much fuss by a fearless bunch of youngsters.
"This is the toughest tour ever. Nothing comes closer to this. This surpasses all," he said.
For all the vicious trolling he encounters and the flak he has faced for backing his team in adverse time, the 2020-21 series win in Australia belongs to Shastri as much as it belongs to Ajinkya Rahane.
Speaking about his behind-the-scene role, Shastri said he works on the mental aspect of the cricketers.
"A coach's job is to prepare the players mentally and work on their mindset. Don't over complicate things and it will work.
"What's it about a coach? He only sits in the dressing room and its the players who fight it out and its the cricket they play speaks for them."
India stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane too admitted it was a very emotional moment for him.
"Yeah, I too got emotional, I still don't know how to describe this," said Rahane who led in three Tests after Virat Kohli flew back home on paternity leave.
(With PTI inputs)
