Ravi Shastri’s stint as India head coach was filled with many highs and a few lows. The achievement of winning back-to-back Test series wins in Australia, leading England 2-1 on their soil, finishing five years in a row as the No. 1 ranked Test team, and reaching the knockouts of several ICC tournaments are just some of the accomplishments.
Ravi Shastri arguably is probably the best coach India has had in a long time as he instilled quality and confidence in his players. In between, there was the disappointment of not being able to win an ICC trophy.
Ravi Shastri Reckons Losing WTC Final Was Biggest Disappointment In His Tenure
The 2019 World Cup, the 2021 World Test Championship, the 2021 T20 World Cup would go down as missed opportunities as India failed when it mattered most. For a coach who thrives on being and making his team the best in the world, it’s a tricky question asking him which loss hurt the most, but Ravi Shastri is not one to mince words and he answered this question with bravado. Ravi Shastri said the loss in the final of the inaugural World Test Championship is his ‘biggest disappointment’.
“Losing the World Test Championship final for me was the biggest disappointment in my tenure because we didn’t deserve to lose that game. We should have drawn it at least. Because of the kind of cricket we had played for five years, to be No. 1 for five years is no joke,” the former India coach said on the ‘Bold and Brave: Ravi Shastri Way’ show on Star Sports.
“As much as you want to take about the preparation, the quarantine, the conditions that existed there, New Zealand already being in England… we had no business to lose that game. So that was disappointing, to say the least.”
India suffered an eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand in the WTC final at Southampton in a rain-marred game. All-rounder Kyle Jamieson rocked the Indian batting order with a five-wicket-haul. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ajinkya Rahane all got starts but none could go past fifty. The second innings saw India getting bowled out for 170, setting New Zealand 140 to win, which the BlackCaps achieved with 15 overs left.
Kane Williamson, Kyle Jamieson, And Tim Southee Architects Of New Zealand’s Inaugural World Test Championship Win
The ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final ebbed and flowed and New Zealand finally won the match beating India by eight wickets in Southampton on June 23(the reserve 6th day). Fittingly veterans Ross Taylor and skipper Kane Williamson were the two batters at the crease who buried the ghosts of the ICC Cricket ODI World Cup 2019 and 2015, where they lost the finals.
The heroes of New Zealand’s victory were Kane Williamson(49 and 52*), Kyle Jamieson (5/31 in the 1st innings), and Tim Southee(4/48 in the 2nd innings).
Meanwhile, India has been able to hold on to their fourth spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table even after losing to South Africa in the second Test at the Wanderers, Johannesburg. South Africa, on the other hand, has climbed up the rankings to the fifth spot and registered their first win in the WTC 2021-23 cycle with the help of the seven-wicket win against India in the 2nd Test to level series 1-1.
Sri Lanka and Australia have the same percentage points and are sharing the honours at the top of the table, followed by Pakistan in third place in the latest WTC standings released by the ICC.
New Zealand 249 (Conway 54, Williamson 49, Shami 4-76) and 140 for 2 (Williamson 52*, Taylor 47, Ashwin 2-17) beat India 217 (Rahane 49, Kohli 44, Jamieson 5-31) and 170 (Pant 41, Southee 4-48) by eight wickets