"The Big Thing Lacking Is...": Kapil Dev Gives His Verdict On Team India's Ravi Shastri-Virat Kohli Era
Giving his verdict on Shastri and Kohli's partnership, Kapil Dev praised their brand of cricket. "If you look at it from a trophy point of view, that's a different thing altogether", he said.
With Ravi Shastri stepping down as Team India head coach and Virat Kohli quitting T20I captaincy, legendary cricketer Kapil Dev decided to give his verdict on the duo's partnership. The Kohli-Shastri era began in 2017 and since then the national team scripted multiple achievements. In what was their biggest achievement, the duo led India to victory in the 2018-19 Border Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. It was also India's first-ever series win against the Aussies in their own backyard. Despite multiple milestones, India failed to win any ICC trophy during the Shastri-Kohli era. During an interview with Uncut, Dev pointed out the same, saying that the duo did a "super job" but lacked the "big thing".
"I think both have done a super job. I understand that they could not win India a major trophy but if we look at the last five years, since Kohli took over, there has been nothing lacking. The big thing lacking is an ICC trophy. Apart from that, India has won against Australia, England", he said.
"Wherever they have travelled, they have beaten the other team", he continued.
The 1983 World Cup-winning captain also explained that reaching the knockouts in a World Cup is a "huge deal" but the Men in Blue have always faltered in the T20 World Cup.
"Reaching the World Cup knockouts is also a huge deal. I think after the 2007 World Cup in West Indies, where they failed, this T20 World Cup is where it felt that India were disappointing. Had they reached the top four and then lost, it is understandable. But if you don't reach the top four, there will be criticism", he stated.
Finally, giving his verdict on Shastri and Kohli's partnership, the 62-year-old praised their brand of cricket. "If you look at it from a trophy point of view, that's a different thing altogether", he said.
"But if you look at their cricket, the brand they have played in the last five years, I would give them 90 percent marks out of 100, and deduct 10 percent marks for not winning an ICC trophy", he concluded.
Virat Kohli
India Cricket Team