Reportedly winning a World title is an "obsession" for india coach ravi Shastri, who says the upcoming six ODIs against new zealand and south africa could be used as a platform for his team's preparations for the global t20 championship in australia this October. Meanwhile in an exclusive interview to PTI, the head coach spoke on a range of issues including the legacy he wants to create, preparations for the marquee meet, team culture and unfortunate injuries to his players.
Shastri said ahead of the start of India's tour of new zealand "That toss will be taken out of the equation, we will play well irrespective of conditions, of opponents and in every country of the world. That's what our aim is and that is what we are chasing. Yes, the world cup remains an obsession and we will do all to fulfil that ambition". Perhaps india will play five t20 Internationals, three ODIs and two Test matches starting with the shortest format on january 24. The ODI series against south africa is to be held in March.
Moreover the hallmark of this team is enjoying each others' success, said Shastri. He added "The word 'I' is not there in our dictionary. It's 'we'. That's what this team stands for. It celebrates each other's achievements because it's the team that wins". Perhaps the 2-1 series win against a full-strength Australian side was a reflection of the indian team's "mental strength", which came back strongly after being outplayed in the opening game.
