T20 World Cup 2021 | Rahul Dravid has inherited great team, he can only raise the bar, believes Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri would’ve wished to end his India head coach tenure on a much better note. India had a disappointing T20 World Cup 2021, as they failed to qualify for the semi-final for the first time since 2012. That however, doesn’t take away the success he’s had while at the helm, helping the team take giant strides, especially in Test cricket - the successive Test series wins in Australia and the overall run to the inaugural World Test Championship final being the major highlights.

Shastri will be replaced by Rahul Dravid, another prominent figure in Indian cricket, who’s had great success in grooming young talents in recent years during his stint at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), Bangalore, and as India U19 and India A coach.

Shasti backed Dravid to “raise the bar” with his experience.

"Absolutely. I think in Rahul Dravid they've got a guy I would say has inherited a great team, and with his stature and experience, he can only raise the bar for this team with time to come," Shastri told Star Sports on Monday, November 8.

"Because there are still a lot of players here who will play for another 3-4 years which is very important. It's not a team in transition overnight and that will make the biggest difference. Virat's still there, he's done a fantastic job as the leader of the side. He's been one of the biggest and the best ambassadors of Test match cricket over the last five years. Lot of credit goes to him, in the way he's thought about how he wants the team to play the game and how the team has rallied around him. "

India’s next assignment (and Dravid’s first) will be the New Zealand home series, which features three T20Is beginning November 17, followed by two Tests.