'Tells what kind of influence he had' - Sunil Gavaskar names India's 2020-21 Australia triumph as Ravi Shastri's biggest coaching achievement

Former India skipper and legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar has picked Ravi Shastri’s biggest highlight as India’s head coach. Shastri helmed India from 2017 to 2021, during which the team reached many heights, including winning Test series in Australia twice (2018-19 and 2020-21).

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India started the 2020-21 tour on a disastrous note, when they tumbled out for 36 in the Adelaide pink-ball Test to go down 1-0 in the series. Although, only to come back with a bang, as they clinched the series 2-1 despite raining injuries and the absence of skipper Kohli, who left after the first Test to attend the birth of his child.

India clinched the following Test in Melbourne under Ajinkya Rahane, before drawing in Sydney and winning in Brisbane to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won it in 2018-19. Under Shastri's tenure, India also qualified to the semi-final of the 2019 ODI World Cup and the final of the inaugural World Test Championship.

“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'.”

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"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," said Gavaskar.