Ravi Shastri has singled out three players-Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant who are different than the ones seen in Indian cricket’s previous eras.
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 pacers and the emergence of some of the most promising youngsters with breath-taking skills are the two big achievements of Ravi Shastri’s tenure, besides India’s phenomenal record playing overseas.
Ravi Shastri: Rishabh Pant, Shubman Gill And Jasprit Bumrah Are Brilliant
Ravi 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, Ravi 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,” Ravi Shastri said.
Jasprit Bumrah’s rise in all formats has been second to none. In less than two years, Jasprit Bumrah has become the leader of India’s pacer attack in Tests, while taking his game several notches higher in ODIs and T20Is. Jasprit Bumrah has 101 wickets from only 24 Tests averaging 22.79 besides having 108 ODI (playing 67 ODIs) and 66 T20I (playing 55 T20Is) wickets.
Ravi Shastri: IPL Has Made A Difference
Then there is Rishabh 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-2022 T20I and 2023 ODI World Cups. Shubman Gill, on the other hand, has shown sparks and is highly capable of converting them into a wildfire.
“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.
After scoring 350 runs averaging 58.33 in 4 Tests in his maiden series Down Under in 2018/19 which included his career-best unbeaten 159, Rishabh Pant scored 274 runs at an average of 68.50 in five innings (3 Tests) for India against Australia in the next tour in 2020/21.
Rishabh Pant’s 97-run knock in the Sydney Test raised the prospect of an unlikely India to win before they had to settle for a draw. However, the left-hander was not to be denied in Brisbane, as he took India to a series-clinching win by scoring an attacking unbeaten innings of 89.
Opening batsman Shubman Gill hasn’t fired in the international arena, scoring 558 runs in 10 Tests averaging 32.82 and 49 runs in 3 ODIs averaging 16.33 but is touted for big things in the future. Shubman Gill has played 58 IPL games for Kolkata Knight Riders amassing 1417 runs averaging 31.49 with 10 fifties.