In India, “Jealous Gang” wanted me to fail, but I had a thick skin: Former Coach Ravi Shastri
In an interview to UK’s ‘The Guardian’ newspaper, Ravi Shastri said in a country like India there is always “jealousy” or “gang of people willing you to fail”.
Shastri was at helm of Indians coaching staff between 2014-2021 , save one year in the middle when Anil Kumble was given the charge.
Just like Shastri, Key has also been an acclaimed commentator for a long time and doesn’t have a coaching degree as he tries to ease into a new and very different role.
“I didn’t have coaching badges (either). Level one?Level two? that. And in a country like India, there is always jealousy or a gang of people willing you to fail. I had a thick skin, thicker than the leather of the Dukes ball you use. A real solid hide.”
“And you need a bloody hide over here. Rob will develop this as he does the job, because every day you are judged. And I am glad he has a lot of captaincy experience from his time at Kent, because communication with the players is absolutely paramount,” Shastri was quoted as saying by the British newspaper.
“Rob may have more work with the domestic game but, when it comes to the national team, it is very similar. The most important thing is getting among the players and setting a tone from the outset: what you believe in, what you think of them and changing the mindset to compete and win.”
“You have to be bullish and brutish in wanting to achieve that. For us, and now England, it was about setting the challenge of winning abroad, big time. I was very firm when it came to team culture: all the prima donnas and all that shit, that had to go out of the window early,”Shastri explained.
“The adrenaline of captaincy – not that he needs it – could fire Stokes up to be something even more than the incredible player he is now. The important relationship is with the captain – the moment there is friction, things go downhill.
“But they will be fine because the England I saw last year, they have enough talent and skill to compete. There’s no doubt about that in my mind. It’s all about their mindset.”
