After witnessing the disappointing top-order collapse, former India coach Ravi Shastri didn’t hold back as he took a scathing swipe at the Indian batsmen and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), with a pointed remark about the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Australia showcased an impressive display of batting on the green-top Oval track during the first two days of the World Test Championship final against India. However, Rohit Sharma and his team failed to replicate that same level of performance. With the exception of Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul Thakur, and to some extent Ravindra Jadeja, none of the other batsmen appeared settled against the Australian attack. The top order, consisting of the captain along with Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, could only muster a total of 71 runs among themselves, resulting in India losing four wickets within just 18.2 overs. In the wake of this top-order collapse, former India coach Ravi Shastri didn’t shy away from criticizing the Indian batsmen and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), making a harsh remark related to the Indian Premier League (IPL).
In the first innings, the Indian bowlers struggled as they conceded a total of 469 runs. Subsequently, India’s top-order batsmen were dismissed quickly, leaving them in a precarious position. It is worth noting that three of these top-order batsmen had recently participated in the Indian Premier League.
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In an interview with Star Sports, Ravi Shastri expressed his frustration and anger towards Team India, urging them to prioritize their commitments between the Indian Premier League (IPL) and representing the national team. He emphasized the need for players to make a clear decision regarding their priorities. Shastri stated, “You must set your priorities, right? What is the priority? India or franchise cricket? You have to decide that. If you say franchise cricket, then forget this (referring to the World Test Championship final). If this is important, then as the custodian of the sport, the BCCI are the bosses. There should be a clause in the IPL contract that if they need a player out of the IPL in the interest of India, they have the right to do it.” Shastri highlighted the importance of a provision in IPL contracts that allows the BCCI to call upon players for national duty when required.
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“First, put the clause and then ask the franchises to decide how much they want to invest. That is very important. You are the custodian of the sport. You control cricket in the country,” he added.
Ravi Shastri has been vocal about this topic on multiple occasions, consistently urging Indian players participating in the World Test Championship (WTC) final to prioritize workload management and maintain their form during the demanding Indian Premier League (IPL) season. He has emphasized the importance of taking precautions to avoid excessive strain and fatigue ahead of crucial international matches. Additionally, Shastri has also communicated a similar message to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the selectors, requesting their intervention to coordinate with the franchises and align their proceedings with the upcoming WTC final in mind.
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