Team India head coach Ravi Shastri finally breaks silence on criticism over book launch

Team Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has finally opened up on the criticism over the launch event of his book ‘Star Gazing: The Players in My Life’ in London on September 1 which allegedly became the cause for many members of Team India's support staff testing positive for COVID-19.

“The whole country (United Kingdom) is open. Anything could have happened from Test One,” said Shastri in an interview.

It is to be noted that Shastri also tested positive for coronavirus, followed by bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding coach R Sridhar. Physiotherapist Nitin Patel was placed in quarantine  from the fourth day of the fourth Test played at The Oval.

Just a day before the start of the fifth Test at Old Trafford, junior physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar tested positive and the fifth and final Test of the five-match series between India and England was finally cancelled.

Notably, India were leading the series 2-1 before the COVID-19 outbreak forced both the sides to cancel the Manchester Test. Shastri preferred not to talk about the cancelled Test and chose to highlight the performances of the Indian team in the series.

“It’s been the best summer of cricket England has seen in a long time certainly from an Indian cricket team. It’s Covid times, awesome summer though. The boys were fantastic either side of the Thames,” observed Shastri.

“No team played in COVID times like this Indian team did in Australia and England. Just ask the experts here. Nothing has given me more job satisfaction in the game and I have been around for a bit as you would know,” added Shastri.