Shastri lays emphasis on fitness of Indian players

What's the story?

Ravi Shastri had a great start to his coaching stint with the Indian Cricket Team as India swept Sri Lanka 3-0 in the three-match Test series in the Island nation.

With only four days left before the ODI series commences, Shastri spoke to the Times of India where he was asked plenty of questions regarding India’s takeaways from the series, the brilliant performance by the bowling unit, and the emergence of Hardik Pandya.

When asked about his stressing on the fielding department, Shastri, known for his on-your-face attitude, gave the most straightforward of answers, stating, “Oh, yes. When the time comes for India to field a side for the 2019 50-over World Cup, we should have the best fielding XI in the world walking out. Only the fittest of the lot will survive and thrive going forward and that's right up there in the list of priorities.”

In case you did not know

India resume their Tour of Sri Lanka on Sunday when they take on Sri Lanka in the first ODI at Dambulla.

Heart of the matter

Fielding is an important concern for India currently, because veterans like Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni can still offer with the bat but their body hasn’t been the same when fielding and are not the same kind of athletic fielders they used to be when they were in their 20s.

Hence, India need to keep their XI with not only a team which can be lethal with the bat and can bring down any team’s batting with the ball but also a side which can field well and with agility. Hence, Shastri has laid stress on the importance of India’s fielding front.

What’s next?

Shastri and the remainder of the Indian team coaching staff will be preparing at full throttle for the ODI series which begin on Sunday at Dambulla.

Author’s Take

Ravi Shastri has never been shy to express his mind and has given a very straightforward statement here. Of course India need to have a fully fit XI when they go to England in an attempt to win a 3rd World Cup.

Shastri’s statement might not be very well received from the fans of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh but the fact is India need to move on and look for the best contingent that can do well in the future.