‘My baby after 25 years’: Ravi Shastri reunited with his iconic Audi 100

Ravi Shastri shared images of him alongside the historic Audi 100 he won during the 1985 Benson & Hedges Championship of Cricket.

Ravi Shastri was once again seen with his iconic and beloved Audi 100, 40 years on from when he received it as an award for his performances in the 1985 Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket.

Ravi Shastri's Audi 100 was the centrepiece at the Raymond 100 Autofest in Thane.(X)

The star former all-rounder and former Indian coach used his X account to share images of the car, one of Audi’s first luxury vehicles to make landfall in the Indian subcontinent. The car was refurbished and put on show for the Raymond 100 Autofest car show in Thane, organised by Gautam Singhania and his Super Car Club Garage, commemorating the centenary of the Raymond group.

“India's @AudiIN – my baby after 25 years! Thrilled to drive it at the Raymond Auto Fest, thanks to @SinghaniaGautam 's incredible initiative to restore #India's vintage gems,” wrote Shastri on his X account, which included a series of photos of Shastri posing with the vintage Audi and seen signing it.

Shastri shares pride 40 years on from victory

Shastri’s Audi was the centrepiece of the three-day long auto show organised by Gautam Singhania, commemorating India’s success in the 1985 Benson & Hedges Cup.

Shastri was awarded the car for his player of the tournament performance in that edition of the tournament, leading to iconic pictures of the Indian team celebrating while sitting on the hood, on the trunk, and even on top the car as Shastri drove it around the Melbourne Cricket Ground outfield in celebration after India beat Pakistan in the final.

“Unbelievable how it still shines like it did 40 years ago when India won it,” concluded Shastri on the post on X. Shastri has long argued that the car belongs to India as a whole, given it was a reward for the team’s wholesale success in 1985.

Singhania, Shastri, and this Audi share a bond, with Singhania’s Super Car Club Garage (SCCG) having been responsible for the restoration of the car in 2022, with the age and rarity of the vehicle making it a labour of love. Singhania, who is the managing director and chairman at Raymond, has run the garage as an enthusiast of luxury vehicles since 2020.

The three-day event in Thane saw over 500 luxury automobiles, including cars, motorcycles, and more, under one roof in what is being touted as the biggest auto show of its kind ever in India. The SCCG, alongside Ravi Shastri, also mentioned big names in motorsport such as Mika Hakkinen, Narain Karthikeyan, and Gaurav Gill.