MUSCAT, Jan 25: Former Team India head coach Ravi Shastri said that one’s captaincy should not be judged by the number of ICC titles won, rather it should be on how the cricketer played and whether it was with integrity.
Shastri’s comments come two weeks after Virat Kohli stepped down as India’s Test skipper. Last year, Kohli stepped down as the T20I captain and then he was removed as ODI captain as the selectors wanted just one white-ball captain.
“Many players have not won the World Cup, Sourav Ganguly has not won it, Rahul Dravid has not won it, Anil Kumble has not won it, Laxman has not won it. Even Rohit Sharma has not won it but it does not mean they are bad players. You go and play, there are just World Cup-winning captains – MS Dhoni and Kapil Dev. Sachin Tendulkar took six World Cups to lift his first title,” Shastri told ANI.
“It is not a question that you are judged by the World Cup, at the end of the day, you are judged on how you play, whether you play the game with integrity. That is how you judge the players at the end of the day,” he added.
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly and Kohli gave different versions on how the ODI captaincy was taken away from Kohli. Ganguly hadalso said he asked Kohli not to leave the T20I captaincy, but Kohli denied the discussion.
“I do not know what communication happened between both parties. I have not spoken to them, when I get the chance to talk to them, then I can speak to give my viewpoint. When you have half-knowledge, you should be quiet. When you have full knowledge, you should be speak,” he said. (ANI)
