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'Thought Process Was To...,’ - Pant Recalls Kohli, Shastri's Message During 2018 ENG Tour

image-lrlin986Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli. (X,com)

India's wicket-keeper batter, Rishabh Pant, reminisced about his introduction to the Test team, highlighting the vision outlined by then-Indian skipper Virat Kohli and head coach Ravi Shastri to secure victories in Test matches away from India.

Three years have passed since Team India secured a historic victory against Australia, breaking the latter's 32-year unbeaten streak at The Gabba. To commemorate this third anniversary, Star Sports organized an exclusive conversation with Rishabh Pant, the Player of the Match in that remarkable win at Brisbane in 2021. During the interview, Pant expressed his emotions and gave credit to Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri for instilling a winning mindset in Test matches played outside India.

In the absence of Kohli for a significant part of the tour, Shastri and the stand-in captain, Ajinkya Rahane, effectively led the team. Their leadership proved instrumental as India triumphed over Australia, securing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the second consecutive time—a feat unmatched by any other team in recent history. Pant's reflections during the interview shed light on the significance of Kohli and Shastri's contributions to fostering a mentality geared towards success in overseas Test matches.

In 2018, when Pant was called into the Test team, Kohli and Shastri emphasized the goal of becoming the best team globally, particularly in overseas conditions.

Despite Kohli's absence for a major part of the tour, Shastri and stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane led the team effectively, securing victory against Australia and retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the second consecutive time, a remarkable achievement in the history of Test cricket.

"When I came into the Test team in 2018, the thought process under Kohli Bhai & Ravi Bhai was to win overseas – We want to be the best in the world,"  said Pant during the Star Sports interview.

The partnership between coach Shastri and captain Kohli spanned nearly seven years, witnessing more success than setbacks. Their partnership led India to a historic 3-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka in 2017, marking the first time India achieved such a feat. The duo's guidance also propelled India to become the first Asian team to defeat Australia in a Test series on their home turf during the 2018-19 season. Additionally, India secured a whitewash against the West Indies in a Test series in the Caribbean for the first time under their leadership.

Notably, the Shastri-Kohli era saw the emergence of a formidable pace bowling unit that excelled across diverse conditions and against top-notch opponents. Throughout their tenure, the Indian team established itself as a dominant force in Test cricket, maintaining the number-one ranking in the world for an impressive 42 months from 2016 to 2020.

Although they lost more overseas series than they won, these achievements cannot be undermined.