T20 World Cup 2021: “Ravi Shastri should get credit for building this Indian team” - Danish Kaneria 

Former Pakistan cricketer Danish Kaneria feels outgoing Team India head coach Ravi Shastri deserves a lot of credit for transforming the current Indian side into a strong outfit during his tenure.

Shastri’s stint with the Indian team came to an end following the side’s ouster from the T20 World Cup 2021 despite a nine-wicket victory over Namibia

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaneria hailed Shastri’s contribution to Indian cricket as a coach. He said:

“Ravi Shastri should get credit for building this Indian team and for all those victories in various countries while coaching the side. Shastri needs to be respected for the manner in which he handled the team under pressure situations and boosted the morale of the players. The tour of England was difficult and, before that, the visit to Australia as well, where India won the series. He has built a very good team.”

Apart from the end of Shastri’s tenure, the match against Namibia was also Kohli’s last as captain of India’s T20 team. Reviewing Kohli’s leadership, Kaneria stated that he could not rise to expectations in an ICC event yet again. The 40-year-old commented:

“Virat Kohli has won many matches for India as captain but has failed to lift an ICC trophy yet again. He will regret this. Unfortunately, Kohli couldn't rise up to the standard and expectation of the fans. His tenure as T20 captain has ended on the sorry side. Even he wanted to sign off as leader of the format with an ICC trophy. But it wasn’t to be.”

While Kohli has quit the T20I captaincy, he will continue to lead the side in ODIs and Test matches.

Check out the updated most runs in T20 World Cup 2021 list here.

“India should have gone with three spinners from the start” - Danish Kaneria

India won their last three matches in the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup 2021. But it was not enough for them to qualify for the semi-finals. According to Kaneria, India paid the price for not playing three spinners from the very start of the World Cup and, by the time they rectified their mistake, it was too late.

Looking back at India’s disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup 2021, Kaneria pointed out:

“India played three spinners against Namibia in Dubai, the same venue where they faced Pakistan. Rahul Chahar played his first game. He did not pick up wickets but playing a wrist-spinner always makes a difference. Ashwin and Jadeja also played. Jadeja played against Pakistan but Ashwin was not there. Playing three spinners is India’s strength and India should have gone with three spinners from the start of the tournament. India have always benefited when they have played three spinners.”

The former Pakistan cricketer further added:

“India did not play their best team in the two big matches. Hardik Pandya played all the matches but three spinners and two pacers would have been India’s ideal choice for this tournament.”

Pandya bowled in only two of the five matches for India but went wicketless. Leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who played in three matches, also drew a blank in the wickets column.