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'Just One Bad Day Can....,' Ravi Shastri Dismisses Australia's Clear Favorites Tag

image-lifml19tIndia missed out of the maiden WTC in 2021

Team India is poised to end a decade-long wait for an International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy as they ready themselves for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia starting June 7 at The Oval in London. Their last ICC triumph dates back to the Champions Trophy in 2013, with the team captained by MS Dhoni.

In a memorable twist of fate, the Indian team had been tantalizingly close to quenching this trophy drought back in 2021 when they reached the maiden World Test Championship final, only to be outplayed by the New Zealand.

Ravi Shastri, the erstwhile head coach of the Indian team during the WTC defeat two years back has radiated confidence about the potential of the current Indian side to break the ICC title void. Moreover, he underlined that there are no undeniable favorites in a standalone Test, subtly hinting at the impending WTC final.

According to Shastri, it is necessary to be competitive and sometimes luck plays a role. He further acknowledged that India’s performance has been commendable, however, they have not had favourable outcomes. The former all-rounder firmly believes that the current team has the potential to win an ICC trophy, just as he used to believe during his tenure as the players from that period are still a part of the team.

“You have to compete. Sometimes, you need a little bit of luck going your way as well. I won't say we didn't play good cricket. We have played very good cricket. The rub of green hasn't quite gone their way,” said Shastri.

The Indian veteran also mentioned that there is a prevailing notion that Australia are the clear favourites due to the match being played in England. However, he reckoned that since it is a one-off Test, the outcome can be greatly influenced by just one poor day of play. The seasoned coach went on to advise Australia to exercise caution and not underestimate the challenges they might face.

“Everyone is saying Australia are clear favourites because we are playing in England. But it's a one-off Test, just one bad day can ruin your chances. Australia also need to be very careful,” added the 61-year-old.