Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has shared the reason why he backed the veteran players – Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara during the England Test series despite their poor form. However, Rahane has managed 372 runs in 19 Test innings this year which came at less than 20. On the other hand, Pujara has managed to score 591 runs in 20 innings at an average of 31.11 as well. But, both had done well in previous years and suddenly faced rough patches.

“It is very easy to just get rid of players if they failed in one or two innings. But you should know experience is not sold in the market and it can’t be bought. It is something you earn and unless you have a replacement, double that experience, when it comes to quality, you should not be thinking,” Ravi Shastri said to The Indian Express.

Ravi Shastri also shared that it is important to back experienced players like them in overseas conditions also. He also revealed why he thought to leave the head coach’s post after the ICC T20 World Cup 2021. He has said that there is a time for everything and said that staying away from his family for a long period was tough for him too.

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“There is a time for everything. We have done it for seven years and in these tough times, you need a break. I was not 45 or 50 anymore. And when you travel non-stop, long time away from home and family, it is hard,” said Ravi Shastri.

“Basically, whatever I wanted to achieve with them, I more than accomplished more than that. So I thought it is the right time to leave and so that the team gets someone new with fresh ideas to take them forward. So it was a conscious decision taken in England itself,” he concluded.

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However, Rahul Dravid has replaced Ravi Shastri as Team India head coach and started it with a win as Team India has beaten New Zealand 3-0 in a home T20I series.