‘Whole of India will remember what you’ve said now': Shastri, Hussain revive commentary box banter during WTC final
Hussain asked Shastri to share his thoughts on the Test as he was a part of it. But while doing so, he made a tongue-in-cheek remark about the timeline of it.
Nasser Hussain and Ravi Shastri have a fair bit of history in the commentary box and although the two former cricketers have buried the ghosts of their infamous exchange during India's tour of England back in 2011 neither of them have completely forgotten about it. The proof of that came during Day 1 of the World Test Championship final between India and Australia at The Oval. However, this time around it was more of a banter between friends than a heated confrontation that happened 12 years ago in the commentary box.
During the second session on Wednesday, the broadcasters aired a flashback segment in which scorecards of famous Test matches from the past were displayed. When Hussain, Shastri and Justin were in the commentary box, the scorecard of the famous tied Test between India and Australia in Chennai in 1986 was flashed.
That's when Hussain asked Ravi Shastri to share his thoughts on the Test match as he was a part of it. But while doing so, he made a tongue-in-cheek remark about the timeline of the Test match.
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"We are looking back at some of the greatest Tests of all time. Ravi Shastri featured in this one. So, we must be going back a while. 1986 Chennai second-ever tied Test. What do you remember of that Test Ravi?" Hussain said on commentary.
Shastri was quick to join the banter. "The whole of India will remember what you've said just now. Goes back a long time. There's Nass going at Rav again, never mind," Shastri said triggering a laugh from Hussain.
Hussain and Shastri's commentary box banter goes back a long way
Hussain and Shastri were involved in a heated on-ari exchange during India vs England Test in 2011. Hussain had called India's decision of not opting for DRS in the entire series a "disgrace" after Harbhajan Singh was given out LBW despite getting an inside edge. Shastri, when asked about it in the post-match show on Star Cricket, landed heavy blows on the former England captain. Shastri further added that England were "jealous" because India were the World Champions at then and their IPL was earning a lot more than any cricket tournament in the world.
The next day when Hussain, Bhogle and Shastri were in the commentary box, the former England captain pulled up the former India all-rounder by saying that he has "earned his right" to voice his opinion on cricket after playing 96 Tests. He also countered Shastri's "jealous" claims by stating that "no one is more proud than him" that India are No. 1 in world cricket.
Shastri, however, stood his ground and said he still has an objection to Husssain's usage of the word "disgrace". The former India head coach went on to add that BCCI were well within their rights for not allowing DRS in the series as it was not foolproof.
Coming back to their light-hearted exchange in the WTC final, Shastri then went on to talk about the historic second-ever tied Test of 1986.
"Great Test. It was because of the bold declaration from Australia. India needed 347 to get on the last day and we got off to a good start thanks to Sunny and Srikkanth. And we went for it. There were 7-8 thousand people at the start and after Tea, it was 50 thousand. It went all the went down to the wire. I remember Greg Matthews bowling the entire fifth day.
"That Test also goes down in the folklore of Australia because of Dean Jones' double century. He nearly died of dehydration there. That innings because of Dean Jones will always remain special in Australian cricket. And also Alan Border for pushing Dean Jones," said Justin Langer.
