I see India having new team after T20 World Cup: Ravi Shastri

NEW DELHI: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri said that the best group of batters he has ever seen is the one India have assembled for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and added that he can see India having a new team after the tournament. When Shastri was in charge of India at the T20 World Cup last year, the Men in Blue won just three of the five games and were unable to advance to the tournament's knockout rounds.

With Suryakumar Yadav's recent ascent and the reintroduction of veteran finisher Dinesh Karthik to the middle order, the India batting line-up appears more stable now. And despite the absence of key fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah through injury, Shastri thinks India's batters can help the team qualify for the semi-finals this time around.

"I have been part of the system for the last six-seven years, first as a coach and now I am watching from the outside, and I think this is as good a line-up as India has ever had in T20 cricket. I see India having a new team after this World Cup," ICC quoted Ravi Shastri as saying. "With Surya (Yadav) at No.4, Hardik (Pandya) at No.5 and Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik at No.6 it makes a massive difference as it allows the top order to play the way they are playing."

India's fielding, though, has Shastri a little worried. The former coach noted that the squad would need to do better in this area throughout the competition. "One area that India will have to pick up and start right from the beginning is fielding," he said.

"They need to work hard and get their A-game on the field when they step out (in the first game) against Pakistan. Those 15-20 runs that you save can make all the difference because otherwise every time you get out to bat, you need to get 15-20 runs extra," Shastri added. Shastri asserted that games will be decided on the playing field and cited Sri Lanka's recent triumph in the Asia Cup, where the island nation made a number of crucial fielding plays in a close match against Pakistan.

"For sides like Australia, England, South Africa they field like crazy. Look at what Sri Lanka did in the Asia Cup with fielding. They won a tight game against Pakistan riding on fielding," Shastri said. India's first match at the T20 World Cup comes against arch-rival Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on October 23, before they take on South Africa in Perth, Bangladesh in Adelaide and two teams to progress from the First Round.