India vs England | Ravi Shastri backs underfire Team India; asks them to get mentally tough

Shastri did not hesitate to talk about his disappointment because of the loss, but he also defended the current team by mentioning how he hadn't seen such a team in Indian cricket who had won so often overseas in the last 15-20 years. Shastri stated that now it was time to focus on “not just competing”, but also winning matches against the cricketing giants like South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia. They have played tough against both South Africa and England but couldn't defeat them and this is what makes Shastri worry. 

"I can't see any other Indian team in the last 15-20 years that has had the same run in such a short time, and you have had some great players playing in those series. So the promise is there, it is just about getting tougher mentally, you have got to hurt when you lose matches because that's when you look within and come out with the right kind of answers, to combat such situations and get past the finishing line. One day you will if you believe.I think you have got to get tough mentally.

"We have run teams close overseas and we have competed. But now it's not about competing. We have to win games from here. Now the endeavor is to understand where you made the mistakes and take it head on and try to correct it. The fact of the matter is you had a chance. The scoreline says 3-1 which means India have lost the series, what the scoreline doesn't say that India could have been 3-1 or it could have been 2-2. And my team knows it. They would have hurt and rightly so after the last game. But this is a team that will not throw in the towel. It will come out there and look to compete and not be on the first flight home, and that's exactly what we will do,” Shastri said. 

Shastri spoke about several factors in particular that led to India's defeat in the previous matches of the Test series against England. 

“As far as crossing the line goes, you have to give credit to Moeen Ali there on the last day (in Southampton). To be honest, he bowled magnificently. As hard as our guys tried, England were one-up on us there. Nothing to take away (from them). The endeavour of this team is to travel well, compete and win. If you look at the last three years, we have won nine matches overseas and three series. I think shot selection left a lot to be desired, we blew away a very good position straight away after Tea on day two (in Southampton).

"That's an area where you can tighten, be aware of what the team needs, being aware of the match situation, that will be a big help. I think that was crucial more than anything else. It's being aware of being in a good position and then capitalizing. And not doing something silly to open the door for the opposition, I thought at 180/4, there was a definite chance of a 75-80-run lead, and that would have been crucial. So that hurts,” Shastri concluded.