Ravi Shastri has a good understanding with Virat Kohli and is a great man manager, says Anshuman Gaekwad

Although Shastri has been under a lot of criticism for the way he operates and his love for hyperbole in every press conference, no one can disagree with the fact what the team has achieved over the year under the shrewd tutelage. He has overlooked the team to one of India’s greatest achievements - a Test series win in Australia and the team is primed to win the World Cup as well. 

Apart from that, his partnership with Virat Kohli has struck a chord as the duo is marching to be considered as probably the fearsome coach-captain pair in world cricket. Gaekwad, who worked as a national selector apart from coaching the Indian team from October 1997 to September 1999, praised the current India coach for the same.

"He has done well right from the beginning. He has put captain (Kohli) as the boss of the team. He has taken a backseat unlike Greg Chappell. I did the same with (Md) Azharuddin when he was the captain. Ravi has a great understanding with the captain and is a great man manager. Knowing Virat, the way he pushes the players everyone has to be on their toes and Ravi also helps in that," Gaekwad told India Today.

MS Dhoni’s calm presence behind the stumps was India’s biggest advantage this time and Virat Kohli will also be served a great deal because of that. Gaekwad compared Dhoni's presence in the team to Sachin Tendulkar, saying if he was the coach he would pick the former India skipper even if he was in the worst form of his life.

"The biggest advantage Virat (Kohli) has is Dhoni. His mere presence gives confidence to the captain. You can't go to the shop and buy experience, what Dhoni has. He is the mentor of the Indian team. When I was coach of the Indian team, I told Sachin during a series against Australia where he had a stiff back, to just stand at slips and don't move.

"He could not move, he was in a bad situation. So a mere presence of a player makes a big difference to the opposition. If I was the coach, I would play Dhoni if he is fit. Whether he gets runs or not, I don't care. I play him. His fitness and keeping is out of the world anyway."