New Delhi, November 19
Ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between Australia and India, former head coach Ravi Shastri has urged Team India to put their 0-3 loss to New Zealand behind them and focus on the upcoming series.
Rohit Sharma's side suffered an unprecedented 3-0 whitewash against New Zealand, marking their first Test series loss at home in 12 years. This defeat dealt a significant blow to their position at the top of the ICC World Test Championship standings.
Despite the setback, Shastri remains optimistic about India's chances of reaching next year's World Test Championship Final at Lord's. He has encouraged his former team to stay positive in their pursuit of a place in the one-off Test.
"India will be smarting from that defeat in the series against New Zealand because they were caught unawares. They were a little complacent and paid the price for it. That said, this Indian team is a very proud one," Shastri told host Sanjana Ganesan during the latest episode of *The ICC Review*.
India must win four of their five matches in Australia to secure a spot in the World Test Championship Final. The team will aim for a strong start when the first Test begins in Perth on November 22.
Historically, India have excelled when making early statements in away tours. This was evident during their 2018/19 tour of Australia, where they won the opening Test for the first time, defeating Australia by 31 runs in Adelaide, thanks to Cheteshwar Pujara's stellar century.
Shastri emphasised the importance of starting the Australia tour on a positive note to regain momentum.
"They would be hurting, and they'll want to get back on track as soon as possible. The best way to bounce back from such a series is to start another one strongly. So, the first two Tests become extremely crucial," he said.
The 62-year-old also urged the team management to focus on the positives and draw inspiration from their successful tours Down Under.
In 2018, under Virat Kohli's leadership, India secured their first-ever Test series win in Australia. They repeated the feat in 2021, despite missing several first-choice players in a thrilling series.
"The key will be to ensure they start well and keep the players in a good frame of mind. That will be the coach's most important task," Shastri added.
He also pointed out that India's batters could play a crucial role in giving the team an early advantage.
"Confidence is key. They must focus on the positives, think about what they achieved in Australia last time, and build on that. Put the New Zealand loss behind them. These are different conditions, and some Australian tracks are the best to bat on once you settle in. It'll be a totally different scenario when they get out there," Shastri concluded.