Ravichandran Ashwin on Ravi Shastri: He has been a fabulous person to have in the dressing room!

India's tour of Sri Lanka: For India, it will be a test of how newly appointed coach Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli get the team together

Score Keepers
Jul 25, 2017

India’s tour of Sri Lanka starts from the 26th of July, where team India led by Virat Kohli will play 3 Tests and 5 One Day Internationals, apart from a one-off T20I. This is a big series from the point of view of both the teams for different reasons. For India, it will be a test of how newly appointed coach Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli get the team together. For the hosts, it will be a team that will have a new captain again after Dinesh Chandimal was made their captain. Rangana Herath would in all probability lead the Lankans. Indian ace off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin spoke to the media in Sri Lanka after the practice session and spoke on a topics varying from Anil Kumble-Virat Kohli to Ravi Shastri.

“We are well past that moment (when the difference of opinion emerged between captain Virat Kohli and former coach Anil Kumble). The decision has been made and it is definitely something that I cannot really comment on. Ravi bhai (Shastri) has been a fabulous person to have in the dressing room,” Ashwin told reporters after team’s training session.

“Even when he was here last time, we lost that Test in Galle and really picked us up from that low point in our careers. And he (Shastri) is someone who can really have a positive influence on the dressing room. We are looking forward to working together and producing some amazing results,” he added.

“In 2015, we were sandwiched into the middle of a leadership takeover. Virat had just taken over in Australia and we came here having played one Test in Bangladesh. We had set ourselves a lot of goals for each other and I would say we have achieved them and come out with flying colours over the last couple of years as a group,” Ashwin added.

Back to business with a great bunch #TeamIndia #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/yQR06B8ocH

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) July 24, 2017

“We have produced a lot of good cricketers, some young cricketers have come in and put their hands up while others have excelled,” he said.

Sri Lanka and India have been in training ahead of their Test series which starts on Wednesday! #SLvIND pic.twitter.com/5ih3REbYBg

— ICC (@ICC) July 24, 2017

“That includes Jadeja, Cheteshwar Pujara and me. Pujara has made a sort of a comeback because he was not a part of that Galle Test in 2015. But he came on in the third Test (at the SSC in Colombo) and played exceedingly well on quite a tough wicket.

“From thereon, a lot of people have put their hands up and we have kind of become a pretty good unit. Sometimes, I feel that even good cricketers lose out in this particular team because of the quality we have in the dressing room,” Ashwin said.