Cricket
Harbhajan Singh shows no mercy to Ravi Shastri!
Updated : Aug 01, 2018, 09:08 PM IST
Team India started their highly-anticipated battle against England in the longest format of the game in Birmingham on Wednesday. The Virat Kohli-led side struggled to get wickets on the opening day of the first Test, and that is, perhaps, the reason why coach Ravi Shastri fell asleep even as the players battled it out on the field.
Yes, you read that right. Indian cricket team head coach Shastri dozed off after Lunch on Day 1 at Edgbaston. The 56-year-old was caught on camera napping in the dressing room. He immediately became the butt of jokes on social media and was even trolled by Harbhajan Singh during commentary.
A sleeping Shastri was played up on the television and Bhajji was quick to poke some fun at the former India all-rounder. "Ravi Shastri having a nap there. Wake up, Ravi!" said Harbhajan as other commentators around him burst into a laugh.
Team India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, who was seated next to Shastri in the pavilion, was wearing a earpiece and listening to the commentary. He soon got this request from Harbhajan: "Sanjay, can you convey my message to Ravi?"
Bangar burst into a hearty laugh, and so did Ravi as he woke up eventually and heard from his fellow coach what Bhajji had to say. Twitter, too, had a good time poking fun at Shastri.
Ravi Shastri was spotted having a quick nap in the dressing room during the post lunch session. I hope Arnab Goswami doesn’t get to know about this. #ENGvIND #Cricket pic.twitter.com/pZNwIWe6QH
— Madhav Sharma (@HashTagCricket) August 1, 2018
Ravi shastri is having a nap
— srikrishna (@1998Srikrishna) August 1, 2018
Wonder why fans want Ravi Shastri to wake up. It doesn't matter. He isn't a 'coach' who will watch the match keenly and think of strategies. He's just a Kohli 'Cheerleader' and 'Yes-Man'. We all know that it's Kohli who decides everything. #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/yMunN3QDgJ
— Aditya (@forwardshortleg) August 1, 2018
Day 1, First Test #ENGvIND — Pic of the day #Ravishastri pic.twitter.com/gvRnZy031i
— Prasad RS (@PrasadrsTOI) August 1, 2018
*What are your plans for the upcoming #CricketWorldCup2019?*
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 1, 2018
Ravi Shastri: pic.twitter.com/fsHYl53CWW
England captain Joe Root won the Toss and chose to bat in the opening Test of the five-match series against India at Edgbaston. "Looks a good surface. Some moisture which should burn off, looks good to bat... The selectors gave us good options and I am happy with the personnel we have," Root said.
India opted to leave out middle-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara in favour of Lokesh Rahul, who has been in fine form in recent months.
India: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli (capt.), Ajinkya Rahane, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma.
England: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (capt.), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.