Id take the blame first: Ravi Shastri blasts Indias Test slide under Gautam Gambhir, says players must own failures too

NEW DELHi: Former head coach Ravi Shastri has delivered one of his most pointed critiques yet of Indias dramatic fall in Test cricket, declaring that both players and the team management must take responsibility for the decline. The former India head coach, who oversaw the teams successful run alongside Virat Kohli, said he is deeply hurt by the sight of a side that once dominated home and away now suffering whitewashes against New Zealand and South Africa at home.

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Shastri, speaking to Prabhat Khabar in a podcast teaser, was visibly frustrated while recalling Indias collapse in the Guwahati Test. “You tell me. What happened in Guwahati – from 100/1, you skip to 130/7? This team is not that bad either. They have this much talent at least. The players should take some responsibility too. You have played spin since you started playing cricket,” he said.

Asked whether he was defending new head coach Gautam Gambhir, Shastri was blunt. “Im not protecting [him]. One hundred per cent he is responsible too. When am I saying anything otherwise?” he said. Then came his most striking comment. “Agar yeh mere saath hota, main pehla responsibility leta (Had this happened with me, I would have been the first one to take responsibility). But then, I wouldnt have spared the players either in the team meeting.”

The frustration stems from high standards Shastris own tenure had set. Between 2017 and 2021, India became the worlds best travelling Test side, winning two historic series in Australia, staying No. 1 for 42 months and losing only two matches at home under Kohli.

While Rahul Dravid revived the team after a slow start, leading India to home series wins and a second WTC final, that trajectory has stalled under Gambhir. India have managed just two Test series victories in 14 months — against Bangladesh and West Indies — while suffering heavy defeats in Australia and a draw in England.

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