Indian batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has opined on Ravi Shastri’s biggest highlight from his tenure as the Team India head coach. He mentioned the team’s stunning comeback from 36 all-out in the Adelaide opener in the 2020/21 tour of Australia to win their second successive Test series in Australia as well.

Notably, Virat Kohli didn’t take part in the rest of the series whereas the Ajinkya Rahane-led side scripted history by winning the series and retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well. Gavaskar, while having a chat with Star Sports, recalled Shastri’s famous words – “wear this 36 like a badge” – before sharing the role he has played in India’s dominating series win.

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Sunil Gavaskar said: “It obviously has got to be the way India bounced back earlier this year after being dismissed for 36 (in Adelaide Pink Ball Test). Because when something like that happens, the team tends to lose belief in itself, there is a sense of disappointment and there is a sense of giving up. And that is where Shastri played a huge role because from what I’ve read, is that he said that ‘you wear this 36 like a badge’.”

“And then Ajinkya Rahane, the way he led the side in the three Tests, and of course everyone stepped up. We played almost like an A team not even the regular team. But every player who played in that, every replaced player came in and did well. And that is again tells you the kind of influence and input that Ravi Shastri had on the younger players and the fringe players who are waiting for their opportunities,” further added Sunil Gavaskar.

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However, Ravi Shastri had joined Team India as their head coach way back in 2017, after their Champions Trophy final loss to Pakistan and he was again appointed for the role after the 2019 ODI World Cup too. His term has ended with India’s T20 World Cup campaign in the UAE in October as well.