NEW DELHI: Former head coach of the Indian men's cricket team
Ravi Shastri
recently hinted at a potential role in the Indian Premier League (IPL). During his tenure from 2017 to 2021, Shastri led the Indian team to significant achievements, including consecutive Test series victories against Australia.
One of the most memorable moments under Shastri's guidance was India's historic win at The Gabba in 2021, which inspired the famous phrase "Toota hai Gabba ka ghamand." Fans have always been eager to see Shastri take on a head coach position in the IPL.
When asked about the possibility of coaching in the IPL during an appearance on
Ravichandran Ashwin
's YouTube channel, Shastri responded, "Not really. Not after doing India for 7 years. You never know what can come up in the future and how involved you might want to get."
Following his stint with the Indian team, Shastri returned to broadcasting and is currently part of the commentary panel for the ongoing IPL 2024 season. His dynamic voice and unique style of introducing teams during the toss have left a lasting impression on viewers.
"You know, there is no doubting the experience you have and what you can bring to the table, but after 7 years with the Indian team, especially those times when you were there, the toughest time that game has seen since the World War II, during Covid, quarantine and the bubbles, you just wanted ta break from the dugout, the dressing room and everything. The broadcasting and the mic gave me the freedom to express myself again. And have some fun," Shastri added.
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While not completely ruling out a return to a managerial role (perhaps for an IPL team this time), Shastri emphasized his desire to contribute to the sport by identifying and nurturing young talent.
"If I ever go there, it will be precisely for that reason. Not to see the superstars carrying on the way they are, but to cultivate, identify and groom talent, and take them through the roof. I will enjoy it because the spread is so much these days, they have complexes, they have language barriers and challenges culturally. And then get them together to play fearless cricket and ruthless cricket is my cup of tea. So never discount that, it would always be the case when you are handling youngsters," he added.
(Inputs from ANI)