Ravi Shastri Wasn’t Happy With 3 Wicketkeepers Being Picked For 2019 ODI World Cup

Dec 10, 2021 at 4:03 PM

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Ravi Shastri Wasn’t Happy With 3 Wicketkeepers Being Picked For 2019 ODI World Cup

Ravi Shastri, the former Team India head coach has admitted that the squad chosen for the 2019 ODI World Cup left a lot to be desired. He was particularly baffled by the decision to pick three wicketkeepers. Ravi Shastri, however, stated that he never interfered in selection matters.

India’s squad selection for the 2019 World Cup caused a massive uproar among fans and former cricketers. Ambati Rayudu was not picked after Virat Kohli openly acknowledged in the build-up to the ICC event that he would be the team’s no.4 batter. Ambati Rayudu whose last ODI game came in March 2019 averaged 47.05 in 55 ODIs amassing 1694 runs.

Ravi Shastri Image Source : AP
Ravi Shastri Image Source: AP

Ravi Shastri Wasn’t Happy With 3 Keepers Being Picked For 2019 ODI World Cup

Asked to share his views on the puzzling team selection, Ravi Shastri conceded that either Ambati Rayudu or Shreyas Iyer should have been in the team instead of three wicketkeepers in Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni, and Dinesh Karthik.

The then in-form Ambati Rayudu’s axe had led to a lot of controversy with many feeling that the Hyderabad cricketer was wronged in the situation. The 34-year-old batsman was overlooked despite two Indian players sustaining injuries at the 2019 World Cup.

While Ambati Rayudu was listed in the reserves for the ongoing World Cup tournament, Mayank Agarwal was picked over him to replace Vijay Shankar when he was injured. Fate refused to smile on him once again as the selectors chose Rishabh Pant after Shikhar Dhawan was ruled out of the tournament with an injury.

Having been overlooked twice for the world cup selection, the middle-order batsman Ambati Rayudu had announced his retirement on July 13, 2019, and did not state the reason for it.

Ravi Shastri said in an interview: “I had no say in that (team selection). But I wasn’t okay with three wicketkeepers being picked for the World Cup. Either Ambati or Shreyas could’ve come in. What was the logic in having MS Dhoni, Rishabh [Pant] and Dinesh [Karthik] all together?”

Ambati Rayudu was overlooked despite two Indian players sustaining injuries at the World Cup. (Source: File)
Ambati Rayudu was overlooked despite two Indian players sustaining injuries at the World Cup. (Source: File)

Ravi Shastri, however, added: “But I never interfered with the selectors’ work, except when I was asked for feedback or as part of a general discussion.”

India had an impressive run in the 2019 ODI World Cup held in England until their batting crumbled against New Zealand in the semi-finals in Manchester. Chasing a target of 240, India collapsed to 24 for 4 before half-centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni lifted them. India, eventually, went down by 18 runs.

Ravi Shastri Was Confident That Jasprit Bumrah Would Do Well In Test Debut In South Africa In 2017/2018

Under Ravi Shastri’s tenure as head coach, India’s fast bowling department developed into one of the best in the business worldwide. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah has had a key role to play in making India a lethal bowling outfit. While Jasprit Bumrah first made a name for himself especially in the limited-overs format, there were apprehensions over his Test utility given his unconventional bowling action.

But the pacer answered his critics with a memorable Test debut in South Africa. Jasprit Bumrah claimed four scalps in Cape Town, although India went down by 72 runs. Ravi Shastri asserted that he was confident of Jasprit Bumrah making a mark in South Africa during the Test series in 2017/18.

The 59-year-old recalled: “Cape Town was on my mind almost two months before we had landed there. Me and (Bharat) Arun were at a function in Kolkata during Durga Puja when I called Jasprit. It was September 2017, and I told him to be ‘ready’ for SA. That guy couldn’t believe – all he said was ‘playing Test cricket is my dream’.”

Jasprit Bumrah (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP)
Jasprit Bumrah (Photo by PETER PARKS / AFP)

Ravi Shastri further said while praising Jasprit Bumrah: “The spell he bowled in the second innings at Cape Town – that’s just what we had expected him to do. And that was just the start. He’s a quick learner and has a good attitude. The only other bowler in India who took the same amount of time to declare himself to the world – that here’s a great – was Kapil Dev.”

While India went on to lose the three-match Test series 2-1, Jasprit Bumrah claimed seven wickets in the famous Test win in Johannesburg, including his maiden five-for in the first innings. After making his limited-overs ODI and T20I debuts in Australia in 2016, pacer Jasprit Bumrah quickly built a reputation of being a bankable seam bowler. It was Ravi Shastri who insisted not to ‘unleash’ Jasprit Bumrah on Indian pitches in Test cricket.

Jasprit Bumrah is India’s fastest pacer to reach 100 wickets in Test cricket, achieving the feat in 24 games. He has 101 scalps to date averaging 22.79 with 6 five-wicket hauls.

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