Speaking exclusively to PTI ahead of India’s tour of New Zealand, he repeated his stance on the importance of toss and how the current Indian squad aren’t afraid to chase or bat first in any given condition.
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Shastri was quoted as saying:
Shastri put forward the example of India’s latest comeback victories against Australia after going down in the first game. He reminded how the series versus the Aussies was a perfect example of the mental strength and determination of this side. He put a lot of stress on Virat Kohli’s use of the term ‘brave’ to showcase how they weren’t afraid to try new things and step-up their game.
On being asked about the wicket-keeping options and the slot of openers being thrown wide open between three batsmen, Shastri calmly replied that the Indian think tank love the headache of having ‘options’ to chose from ahead of any tournament and these options end up creating a healthy competition in the side.
Speaking on Shikhar Dhawan’s injury, Shastri lamented the loss of such a player to recurring injuries as Dhawan is now a senior player and a great inspiration for the younger crop of players.
He also backed Kedar Jadhav’s questionable selection in the team, stating how important the right-hander was in India’s scheme of things. However, Shastri didn’t comment on the non-selection of the run-scoring machine in the domestic circuit - Suryakumar Yadav.
The Indian team is scheduled to play five T20Is, three ODIs and two Test matches on their tour to New Zealand beginning January 24.
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