I Told The Boys If One Single ‘F### Y###’ Comes Your Way, Give Them Three Back: Ravi Shastri

Ravi Shastri said that in a country like India, there are many people waiting for you to fail so he had to wear a thick skin.

Cricket Image for I Told The Boys If One Single ‘F### Y###’ Comes Your Way, Give Them Three Back: R (Image Source: AFP)

Ravi Shastri has always been an in-your-face kind of a person and that was reflected during his seven-year-long coaching stint with the Indian men's cricket team. Shastri's straightforward personality combined with Virat Kohli's aggression helped India become a world-beating side, especially in Test Cricket. 

Shastri won test matches in England, and South Africa and went on to win test series in Australia - not once but twice - during his tenure. 

When he joined the Indian team, Shastri said he wanted to change the attitude of the players so that they become aggressive & ruthless and level up their fitness. 

"When I was the director of the team, it was about diagnosing problems: I was asked to hire and fire, whoever I wanted I could get in and whoever I didn’t could be shown the door. And it was also outlining how we want to play: to be aggressive and ruthless, to up the fitness levels, to get a group of fast bowlers to take 20 wickets overseas," Shastri said in an interview with the Guardian. 

"And it was about attitude, especially when playing the Aussies. I told the boys if one single ‘f*** y**’ comes your way, give them three back: two in our language and one in theirs,” he added. 

Shastri further went on to say that in a country like India, there are many people waiting for you to fail so he had to wear a thick skin. 

“And I didn’t have coaching badges [either]. Level one? Level two? F*** that. And in a country like India, there is always jealousy or a gang of people willing you to fail. I had a thick skin, thicker than the leather of the Dukes' ball you use. A real solid hide. And you need a bloody hide over here," the 59-year-old said. 

India is currently leading the test series in England 2-1 with the final match to be played in July. Shastri revealed how he made his batters prepare for the test matches in England. 

“Mentality and technique trump past records in domestic cricket. Get the first two right and the runs will come. It was all about the preparation. We told our batsmen to leave their driving license behind and learn to leave the ball. Make the bowler bowl to you and you’ll score. Be prepared to bat five hours to get a century in England. It won’t come in three and you’ll get out trying.

“We also had slingers [coaches with dogsticks] in the nets smashing the ball in at 160kph from 16 yards. Guys had no choice. There was no dodging, I’d stand behind the stumps to make sure of that. No matter who the person was, he had to go through that. The slingers would seriously let it rip and guys would look ugly. But you are meant to look ugly in the nets. In England you have to grind and earn your runs," Shastri said. 

Now that India's most successful coach has given up his role, he is expected to be in the commentary box when his players go out again to play the decider test match at Edgebaston.