Team India's head coach Gautam Gambhir has taken a jibe at Ravi Shastri in one of the old interviews as the video of it has surfaced after the national team's recent Test series loss to New Zealand at home. The interview shows Gambhir criticizing then coach Shastri for not winning anything outside of India other than the World Series in 1985.
Gambhir has come under scrutiny after India's long-standing streak of not losing a Test series at home since 2012. However, New Zealand outplayed them in both matches in Bengaluru and Pune across facets to register their first series win on Indian soil. By contrast, India never lost a home Test series under Shastri and registered two series wins in Australia.
In an interview with News18 in 2018, the interviewer asked whether Shastri is one of the best coaches, suggesting that India have been quite competitive overseas. Gambhir responded:
"Hansi se zyaada aur kuch nahin aata. I'm sure Ravi Shastri ko records bhi nahin pata na unhone koi purani series dekhi. Kahi baar aisa hota hai aap khud kuch nahin jeete ho toh aapko yehi lagta hai ki jis team ke aap coach ho, wohi team sabse acchi hai. Kyunki aap khud kuch toh jeete nahin. Vahan jo world series jo jeete they, uske alaawa toh mujhe yaad nahin ki Ravi Shastri India se bahar kuch bhi jeete hain."
(I only laugh at him. I'm sure Ravi Shastri doesn't know old records or he has seen any previous series. Often it happens that if you haven't won anything as a player, you tend to think the team you're coaching is the best. Other than the world series in 1985, I can't remember Ravi Shastri winning anything outside India."
India under pressure ahead of the final Test against New Zealand:
While the series is lost, India still remain in the race to reach the World Test Championship (WTC) final. They need to win four out of the remaining six Tests to sneak into their third consecutive WTC final and will be keen to start by winning the final Test against New Zealand in Mumbai, beginning on November 1.
After the series against the Kiwis, they will head to Australia for a five-Test series.
