Shastri takes a defensive stance

Brisbane, November 18 

India are yet to shed their “poor travellers” tag but head coach Ravi Shastri feels it’s unfair to pick on one particular side when most of the nations have fared poorly on away tours. India have lost two away Test series in 2018, against South Africa (1-2) and England (1-4). This was after both tours were seen as best chance for Virat Kohli’s men to set the poor overseas record straight. Asked how important it is for India to win the series in Australia, Shastri said: “You have got to learn from your mistakes. When you go overseas and when you look at teams that travel around now, there aren’t too many sides (that travel well). 

“Australia did for some time in the 90s and at the turn of century. South Africa did it for a while and other than these two, in the last five-six years, you tell me which team has travelled well. Why pick on India?” questioned Shastri.

Asked whether he or skipper Kohli has spoken to the team as to why they lost in South Africa and England, Shastri said that it was all about “seizing big moments”. “We have spoken about seizing the big moments. If you look at the Test matches, the scoreline really doesn’t tell you the real story. There were some real tight Test matches and we lost some big moments badly, which cost us the series at the end of it,” the coach said in his team’s defence. 

‘No team weak at home’

Shastri refused to believe that Australian team has lost its aura after what all happened during the past few months. “I don’t think so. I think once you have a sporting culture in you, you will always have that. I have always believed that no team is weak at home. We might have three or four players not playing when a team comes to India, but if anyone thinks it’s a weak team, you will be surprised,” he said.  

He said he was confident his pacers will enjoy bowling on Australian pitches. “I think they (pacers) should enjoy bowling on these pitches if it’s like the pitches we have seen in the past. It’s important to stay fit as a unit.” 

Shastri dropped a hint that the injured Hardik Pandya’s absence may rob them of a chance to play an extra bowler. “One player we will miss is Hardik Pandya. He gave us that balance as a bowler as well as a batsman, which allowed us to play that extra bowler. Even now we have got to think twice. Hopefully, he will be fit soon and if fast bowlers do well, we might not miss him then,” the former all-rounder said. — PTI