It's like planting a tree & then cutting it down, says disappointed Shastri

If not for Anil Kumble, Ravi Shastri would have got the role that he badly wanted.

Shastri, who lost out to his former colleague in the race to be Team India's chief coach, opened up in an interview to Wisden India.

"I'm not surprised," said Shastri. "I'd say disappointed. It's like planting a tree and then cutting it down just as it's beginning to bear fruit. We'd done the hard work overseas, and now, after the upcoming tour of the West Indies, we have a lengthy home season, where we could have really turned the screws. But it's not to be, and that's life," Shastri told wisdenindia.com

Shastri added that Kumble called him immediately after receiving the news. "Anil called me as soon as the appointment was made. I told him that he has a fantastic bunch of boys to work with, and I'm sure he'll take them to greater heights. He asked me if he could talk to me further, and I said any time. I wish him only the very best."

In August 2014, Shastri took over as Team Director at a crucial time. Team India had suffered a 3-1 thrashing in the Test series in England. The former India skipper was able help the boys put that behind and inspire them.

India enjoyed a great season under Shastri with a 5-1 record in Tests, including a 3-0 victory over a No.1 ranked South African team.

"I'm immensely proud of what we achieved in those 18 months," he said. “The boys were at a very low ebb at the time I took over as team director. From there, we went from strength to strength. We were briefly No. 1 in the Test rankings, No. 2 in ODIs and No. 1 in T20s.

"What gave me greatest satisfaction though were the performances overseas. We showed great heart and character in Australia. We won a one-day series in England for the first time in 24 years. We beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka for the first time since 1993. And the icing on the cake was the World Cup – seven wins on the trot before losing to the eventual champions in the semifinal," recalled Shastri.

With such a record, not many expected a change. So, did Shastri pay the price for failing to take India over the finish line in major tournaments?

"If you look at the three major events, we lost to the eventual winners in two of them – Australia at the World Cup, and to West Indies in the final over of the World Twenty20 semifinal. And we won the Asia Cup. If that's your definition of failure, then I don't know what to say."

"At the time I took over and in the months that followed, the BCCI was being hammered left and right – by the courts, in the media, by the fans. The one shining light was the performance of the Indian cricket team. But nothing surprises me when it comes to Indian cricket," signed off Shastri.

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