T20 World Cup 2021 | Bharat Arun and R Sridhar have done an outstanding job, says Ravi Shastri
Ravi Shastri credited Bharat Arun and R Sridhar for India's success during his tenure
|Ravi Shastri has credited Bharat Arun and R Sridhar for India’s performances during his tenure as head coach, saying that both of them have done an outstanding job. Shastri praised Arun in particular for his communication skills, and stated that he instilled professionalism in the bowling unit.
India bowed out of the T20 World Cup 2021 with a nine-wicket win over Namibia in Dubai on Monday. They failed to make it to the semifinals, courtesy of defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand respectively in their first two matches. The tournament was Virat Kohli's final assignment at India's T20I captain, and Ravi Shastri too, parts ways as the team head coach.
India will now play home T20I series against New Zealand starting from November 17, followed by two Tests, under the guidance of newly appointed head coach Rahul Dravid. There will be change in captaincy for the shortest format too, with Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul being potential candidates.
Shastri, who saw team reach great heights during his tenure, has credited bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar for playing their parts. Arun, who started his tenure with the India team in July 2017, was lauded for using his experience and communication skills to great effect to strengthen India's bowling unit. India's bowling group has grown leaps and bounds in recent years, which has been integral to their success in Test cricket overseas.
"I call him [Bharat Arun] the guru of that department.He's been in the coaching space for 20 years now, if not more. Not only that, but he's coached a lot of coaches. He's conducted a lot of courses. He's certified a lot of coaches. Then come to do this job,” Shastri told Star Sports on Monday.
"That's the prime reason I picked him because I wanted to pick people from my stable, which is the NCA, and I happened to be the chairman there for some time. When a system was put in place, that's the time that guys like Sridhar and Arun came into the fore with Dav Whatmore.
"His biggest plus point is his ability to communicate with the bowlers. He will not change anyone's technique for the sake of it unless he has a solution, unless he explains to the guy why he should do it. For the sake of doing it, he won't.
"He has instilled professionalism in the unit by his communication skills to let them know that this is what we expect from a bowling team, not a bowling individual. That is not easy. So that is something specific that he did. He ensured that that happened."
R Sridhar worked as a fielding coach for Under 19 team during the 2014 World Cup in the UAE, after which he joined the men's senior team. Shastri lauded Sridhar, who he feels is one of the best fielding coaches in the world.
"Then I'll go to Sridhar, who I think is one of the best fielding coaches in the world,"he said. "He's outstanding. All I had to tell him was I want this to be one of the best Indian fielding sides ever. That was my dictate to him, and I said in every match I want to see the bar raised. There was no messing around. It had to be done."
