"Experience is not sold in the market and it can't be bought" - Ravi Shastri reveals why he backed Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has disclosed the reason behind backing Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara during the England Test series despite their dip in form.

Rahane has scored 372 runs in 19 Test innings this year. His average has been less than 20. Meanwhile, Pujara has aggregated 591 runs in 20 innings at an average of 31.11. Both batters have performed much better in previous years, but they have not played big knocks for Team India of late.

In an interview with The New Indian Express, former head coach Ravi Shastri was asked if he ever considered dropping either of the two batters.

"It is very easy to just get rid of players if they failed in one or two innings. But you should know experience is not sold in the market and it can't be bought. It is something you earn and unless you have a replacement, double that experience, when it comes to quality, you should not be thinking," Ravi Shastri replied.

Ravi Shastri also mentioned that it is important to back the experienced players in overseas conditions.

It was a conscious decision taken in England itself: Ravi Shastri reveals why he left after T20 World Cup 2021

ICC T20 World Cup 2021 was Ravi Shastri's last tournament as India's head coach

During the same interview, Ravi Shastri was also asked why he decided to leave the head coach's position after the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. The former India all-rounder said that there is a time for everything and added it was hard for him to stay away from his family for a long period.

"There is a time for everything. We have done it for seven years and in these tough times, you need a break. I was not 45 or 50 anymore. And when you travel non-stop, long time away from home and family, it is hard," said Ravi Shastri.

"Basically, whatever I wanted to achieve with them, I more than accomplished more than that. So I thought it is the right time to leave and so that the team gets someone new with fresh ideas to take them forward. So it was a conscious decision taken in England itself," he concluded.

Rahul Dravid has replaced Ravi Shastri as India's head coach. The Indian team has gotten off to a great start under Dravid as they beat New Zealand 3-0 in a home T20I series last week.