Last Time Steve Smith And David Warner Weren't There, This Time Who Did We Have?: Ravi Shastri On Beating Australia In Consecutive Series

Head coach of the Indian cricket team, Ravi Shastri slams the critics who cited the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner as the reason for Australia’s home series loss to India in 2018-19. India once again conquered Tim Paine’s team, this time not only in the presence of the two Aussie stalwarts, but themselves reeling with the loss of several major players.

Smith and Warner were banned for their involvement in the ball-tampering saga and missed the series against India a couple of years ago. Many claimed that their absence was the key reason the hosts lost to Virat Kohli’s team.

However, recently, India repeated their feat and in a more emphatic fashion – the visitors were without their best batsman and captain Virat Kohli for 3 of the 4 Tests and kept losing players one by one to injuries. Hence, Ravi Shastri, in his boisterous self, says that we dominated Australia without a spate of first-choice players.

“Public memory is so short. In your lifetime, you will never go through a period like this where you go and win back-to-back in Australia. When we went last time, people said ‘last time Smith wasn’t there Warner wasn’t there’. This time who did we have? Band bajaake aa gaye unka,” Ravi Shastri said on Star Sports.

If there were a concussion injury, Kartik Tyagi would have also played: Ravi Shastri

The former all-rounder lauds the character of the team for their comeback series victory over Australia; India was bowled out for their lowest Test score in the first Test, but still went to win the series by a 2-1 scoreline led by Ajinkya Rahane.

Ravi Shastri says that by the last game, they had only Kartik Tyagi left who didn’t play – clearly the head coach forgot about Kuldeep Yadav, who hasn’t played a single Test his 5-for in Sydney two years ago. Ravi Shastri, in jest, says that even Tyagi, who was the net bowler, would have also played if someone needed a concussion substitute.

“I think the character the boys showed right through will stay with for long. I don’t think cricket has seen anything like this. To go and play 16 days of Test match cricket, to come back from 36-all out was unreal. Towards the end, we didn’t have anyone to pick.

“There was one player left in the dressing room to pick. If there were a concussion injury, he would have also played. Kartik Tyagi is the player. Your hair stands when you think of it,” Ravi Shastri stated.

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