'Jealous gang wanted me to fail so I developed....' Ravi Shastri on his coaching stint

Known for his unabashed opinion and style, Ravi Shastri has never minced words. In an interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, Shastri revealed how his detractors tried to pull him down and waited for him to fail when he was Team India's head coach.

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Shastri when asked about the recent appointment of Rob Key as English's Director of Cricket, the former coach had straightforward advice of having a thick skin. While talking about his own experiences, Shastri said that in a country like India, there is always jealousy or a gang of people willing you to fail. He added, "I had a thick skin, thicker than the leather of the Dukes ball you use. A real solid hide".

Shastri has been one of the most successful head coaches for Team India during his 6-year long stint from 2014 right till 2021. Briefly, during that time, Anil Kumble was appointed the coach but was soon replaced again by Ravi Shastri within a year.

A vocal and firebrand personality, Ravi Shastri said that he asked the team bullish and brutish in wanting to achieve success. While teaching the team about how to handle Australians, Shastri said that he had told the boys to return the aggression, "If one single expletive comes your way, give them three back: two in our language and one in theirs".

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