"I don't know what logic he has used" - Salman Butt on Monty Panesar's 'Ravi Shastri's team' remark

Former Pakistan captain Salman Butt has reacted to Monty Panesar's recent statement about head coach Ravi Shastri's influence in Team India. Salman Butt said he couldn't understand the 'context' and the 'logic' behind the comments because each member is valuable to the team, irrespective of his stature.

In an interview with India Today, Panesar had stated that India is 'more of Ravi Shastri’s team than Virat Kohli's'. The former England spinner had cited the example of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year, reasoning that Shastri had 'built self-belief' in the team despite Kohli's departure after the Adelaide debacle.

Salman Butt said the absence from one series doesn't make Virat Kohli's contribution to Team India any less. He argued that in an environment where every member is happily contributing to the team's success, there is no need for such statements.

"See, I don't understand why somebody would need to say this. Virat has scored so many runs, was it possible to get such a good winning ratio without it? Not at all. He was not there for one series, we can consider it as a failure. One or two failed series are normal but you still can't take away his contribution. Similarly, a coach's positive influence ensures that the team is with him," Salman Butt said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"They both [Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli] didn't say anything and are happy to work together... I believe both are equally valuable. In fact, every member is valuable. And when they are all happily working together as a team, why would you say that it's one's team more than the other? I don't know what context and logic he has used," he added.

India lost the Adelaide Test after getting bowled out for their lowest-ever total in the second innings. However, on the backs of some unprecedented teamwork and under the sound tutelage of Ajinkya Rahane, they made a historic comeback to win the series 2-1.

WTC Final: Monty Panesar Attributes India's Good Form To Ravi Shastri's "Self-Belief" Rather Than Virat Kohli pic.twitter.com/cKi6Be6HFs

— Dheeman magotra (@Nishapathak77) May 29, 2021

Apart from the contributions of youngsters, Ravi Shastri was lauded by all and sundry for imbuing the team with some much-needed confidence and protecting them from the outside noise.

Coach's limited interference is also a contribution: Salman Butt

Virat Kohli (L) and Ravi Shastri

Salman Butt further observed that the captain and coach share an important partnership and even limited interference in each other's roles counts as a contribution to the team. He added that every good system has a few decision-makers and the support staff gives them the freedom to make crucial choices.

"If a captain is smart and makes good decisions and the coach understands that he's doing everything in the team's interest, and chooses not to interfere then he's an equal contributor to success and vice versa. So equally important to a decision maker is the support staff who gives him the freedom to make those decisions. If you have a setup where everyone supports the better decision maker then it doesn't matter if he's a coach, a captain or anyone," Salman Butt concluded.

Team India is currently in Mumbai, isolating ahead of the World Test Championship final against New Zealand and a 5-Test series against England.

This Man has a style people envy. Did everything at his own terms. He came, saw, conquered it all. Top Cricketer, Top Commentator & Analyst, Top Coach.....A gentleman. @RaviShastriOfc#happybirthdayravishastri #RaviShastri #Cricket #RaviShastri pic.twitter.com/kP9Nxuu1nD

— @smartsunny (@smartsu84069108) May 27, 2021