Ravi Shastri, the former coach of the Indian cricket team, is renowned for his outspoken nature and fearless leadership. During his seven-year tenure, he played a pivotal role in transforming the Indian Test side into a formidable force, alongside former captain Virat Kohli.
One of the highlights of Shastri’s coaching era was India’s back-to-back Test series victories in Australia, particularly the 2020/21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Indian team, depleted by injuries, displayed remarkable resilience to emerge victorious from the depths of a 36 all out defeat to win the series 2-1.
The contributions of wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant were instrumental in India’s success. Pant replaced Wriddhiman Saha and shot to stardom with his aggressive batting, especially in the fourth and fifth Tests at Sydney and Gabba. His unbeaten 89 at Brisbane, which helped India breach the fortress of Gabba for the first time since 1989, has become legendary.
Equally significant was Pant’s knock of 91 in the previous Test at the SCG. With India battling to save the match, Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara put together a crucial partnership of 148 runs for the fourth wicket, setting the stage for a possible chase of 407.
Pant narrowly missed out on a century, dismissed stumped by Nathan Lyon, but his innings had done the job. Shastri’s interaction with Pant after his dismissal showcased his astute man management skills.
“I knew if I told him not to play it, that was against his nature, and he might play even more of it. I told him look, I’m bored, man. You are getting out in the same fashion. It was actually to Nathan Lyon in Sydney. You know, when he batted brilliantly and he got out, he came in and was sitting. Then, the second new ball was taken, and Puji hit seven boundaries,” Shastri explained on Ravichandran Ashwin’s YouTube show ‘Kutti Stories with Ash’.
“So when I went to the loo, he was still sitting in the dressing room alone with his pads on. So I looked at him. What is it? All your runs Pujara is scoring. He has hit seven boundaries in half an hour. Puji, seven in half an hour. And then I told him you’re boring me, man. Ulta maar na (Play the reverse sweep). You’re getting out the same way. Get out more dangerously. Now that’s what I’m talking about, he then said to me.”
Shastri acknowledged that coaching the Indian team was his toughest job, even more challenging than his previous role as a broadcaster. A key responsibility for him was to understand the individual mindsets of his players, adapting his approach to their unique personalities.
He drew a contrast between Pant’s fiery nature and Pujara’s ice-cool temperament, highlighting the need for different tactics to motivate each player. While he encouraged Pant to embrace his aggressive style, he supported Pujara’s strengths and advised him to continue playing to his style.
“Their [players] mindset and thinking is different than someone else. Each individual is different. I can’t go and tell Puji that. ‘Puji, hit a reverse sweep’. I would tell him carry on. It’s his strength and he showed it on multiple tours. Understanding an individual, each one is different is the biggest challenge for a coach,” Shastri said.
Ravi Shastri’s Man Management Skills: Inspiring Rishabh Pant and Understanding Cheteshwar Pujara
