ICC World Cup 2015 will be closely contested - Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri

Former Indian all-rounder Ravi Shastri has said that the Indian team need to devise new strategies and not feel intimidated by the aggressive attitude of their Australian counterparts, who are expected to pose a stiff challenge, if they want to defend their World Champions title in the ICC 50-over World Cup that is to take place in Australia and New Zealand next year.

Speaking at a function organised by the Australian Trade Commission, the cricketer-turned-commentator said that he expects the World Cup to be closely contested.

The 52-year-old said: “I think this is a very open World Cup. Australia have bounced back in a brilliant fashion. After the win in the Ashes series, they won in South Africa. It might be Test cricket but that confidence will bounce into one day cricket as well. So they will be a big threat to any opposition.

“This is going to be a very evenly matched World Cup because of the volume of limited overs cricket that is being played, the amount of T20 cricket that's being played. It has made batsmen more innovative and fearless. They have got a new trick up their sleeves coming up all the time.”

Regarding India’s chances, he added, “Because the pitches will have a little bit of bounce, the grounds are big, so you will have to come up with new ideas. You have to be fit, strong. India will embark on a very long tour of Australia (prior to the World Cup). It will be interesting to see how fit the players will be, how mentally fresh the players will be when they decide to compete. But it's going to be one heck of a World Cup.”

On the India-Australia rivalry, he said: “One thing about Australia, they will hag you, give you enough on the cricket field, but if you can stand up and play and get runs, there's mutual respect which helped me a lot right from my young age. After that, when you went on to play West Indies, went on to play the strongest teams with the best pace attack in the world, you were not intimidated. You were up for a fight, you wanted to compete.

“You go and ask the young team of the '90s who really learnt how to fight and compete, the Gangulys, the Dravids, the Tendulkars. They were that era of players. It happened because of Australia. India-Pak is the fabric, but outside that it's India-Australia [rivalry which brings out the] best cricket. The following that India-Australia cricket has is unmatched because of the competition, if you forget India-Pakistan that goes a long way back.”