In Ravi Shastri's tenure as India coach, not only did India play a dominant brand of cricket, but also produced equally fearless cricketers who have what it takes to carry Indian cricket forward into the next era. The rise of the pace battery and the emergence of some of the most promising youngsters with breath-taking skills can be highlighted as the two big achievements of Shastri's tenure, besides India's phenomenal record playing overseas.
Shastri may have stepped down as India's head coach, but his admiration towards this supremely-confident and talented bunch of players only keeps growing. Lavishing high praise on the current crop of youngsters, Shastri has singled out three players who are different than the ones seen in Indian cricket's previous eras.
"They are brilliant! Pant, Shubman Gill, Bumrah – it has only been a couple of years since they made their India debut. They have the same belief as their predecessors; it’s just that the exuberance of youth and the fearlessness is far greater. They come in far more experienced than the previous generations," Shastri told The Week.
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Bumrah's rise has been second to none. In less than two years, Bumrah has become the leader of India's pacer attack in Tests, while taking his game several notches higher in ODIs and T20Is. Then there is Pant, who has turned a corner since returning to the Indian set-up in late 2020. His exploits in Australia and later at home against England are the stuff of legends and there is no doubt that the 23-year-old will be a crucial player for India in the two upcoming World Cups. Gill, on the other hand, has shown sparks and is highly capable of converting it into wildfire.
{{/usCountry}}Bumrah's rise has been second to none. In less than two years, Bumrah has become the leader of India's pacer attack in Tests, while taking his game several notches higher in ODIs and T20Is. Then there is Pant, who has turned a corner since returning to the Indian set-up in late 2020. His exploits in Australia and later at home against England are the stuff of legends and there is no doubt that the 23-year-old will be a crucial player for India in the two upcoming World Cups. Gill, on the other hand, has shown sparks and is highly capable of converting it into wildfire.
{{/usCountry}}"I have always said that the IPL has made a difference – to share a dressing room with the best in the world, play with and against them and then come into the Indian team; [it makes them] far more experienced. When I was playing, the maximum pace I had faced in domestic cricket was 74kmph. Then, [when I made it] to the Indian team, [I faced] Imran Khan and the West Indies pacers. The exposure level is vastly different," pointed out Shastri.