Indian cricket coach Ravi Shastri linked India’s maiden Test series win on Australia soil with the historic 1983 World Cup triumph terming it “as big if not bigger”.
Team India has made history by winning a Test series on Australian soil for the first time on Monday. The number one-ranked India clinched the four-Test series 2-1 as the fifth day of the final Test in Sydney concluded in a draw due to persistent rain. The morning session of the fourth day was washed out as well, following which the ground saw a bit of play in the second session and the abandonment of the final session.
The hosts Australia was bundled out for 300 on the fourth day, which also forced them to follow-on at home for the first time in 30 years. Last time the hosts had to follow-on Down Under in a Test match against England in 1988.
Ravi Shastri said that “I will tell you how satisfying it is for me. World Cup 1983, World Championship of Cricket 1985? this is as big, or even bigger because it is in the truest (Test) format of the game. It’s Test cricket, which is meant to be the toughest.”
He further added that”Past is history, future is a mystery. We have won today after 71 years and I’d like to live in the present. And salute my captain for being the captain of the team that beat Australia for the first time in Australia in a series.”
While praising the Indian captain Virat Kohli he said “I don’t think anyone plays Test cricket with more passion than he does. At least I don’t see any other international captain coming close to him on the field when it comes to showing that passion needed to play the game.”
According to him, the best part about Virat is his ability to walk the talk by setting examples.