SA vs IND 2017: We Will Treat South Africa Like We Treat Any Other Opposition - Ravi Shastri
Not many teams have managed to pose a stiff challenge in front of Team India in the last couple of years, and the result is there for all to see.
Since the 2-1 come from behind win against Sri Lanka in 2015, Virat Kohli & Co. have won nine series on the trot, defeating the likes of Windies, England, New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh. The team is yet to lose a Test series under Kohli and is ruling world cricket for quite some time now.
All eyes are now firmly set on the team’s next assignment – the tour of South Africa which will kick off with the three-match Test series next month. Many feel the current side can end India’s long wait for a series win in South Africa and head coach Ravi Shastri is also one of them.
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Shastri said the team would treat the Proteas like any other opposition and would aim to end the country’s wait for a maiden series win in the African country.
“For us, all opposition is the same, all oppositions have to be respected, and every game is a home match. And as it turned out that next we are in South Africa. Where South Africa is different is that we haven’t won a series in South Africa,” he said.
“Therein lies a massive opportunity for the team to do something special. The belief is there. We are going there, and we will treat South Africa like we treat any other opposition we have played against. There will be respect, but we will go there to win,” he added.
Shastri further heaped praise on captain Kohli, lauding him for his work ethic and leading the team with an example.
“The great thing about Virat is his work ethic, his realisation of what kind of player he can become and what he it takes to become that player… And it has become part of his lifestyle,” he said.
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“What happens is, that when you have a captain in that frame of mind, wanting to achieve things others can only dream of. Then it rubs off on other players. Others want to emulate him. He wants to raise the bar for himself, and he doesn’t want any room for excuses,” he added.
Shastri went on to say the cohesion in the current team is the reason behind its brilliant performances.
“The most important thing about the team is that this is a team and not an individual. The word ‘I’ can be thrown out of the window. It is always we. Individuals can stay at home if they are not part of the team culture. No matter how big the individual. That is the difference with this team,” he said.
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