Let Ishant only play Tests: Ravi Shastri

MUMBAI: One is so used to seeing former India skipper Ravi Shastri commentate and conduct post-match ceremonies in international cricket, that it felt strange to watch him take to the mike at an event organised by a school at the MIG Club here on Saturday. Actually, the ex-India all-rounder was donning a different avatar — that of a doting father, as he turned up early morning to attend a unique cricket tournament, called the 'ABC league' organised by his daughter Aleka's school (Bombay International School). Six teams, each comprising of a father-son duo, were competing and a familiar voice described the action.

In between, Shastri was keenly following India's rising fortunes in the second Test at Wellington against New Zealand. In-form fast bowler Ishant Sharma may be peeved by the fact that he has been excluded from the World T20 and the Asia Cup squads, but former India skipper turned-commentator Ravi Shastri believes the selectors have done the right thing. "Don't confuse him. He shouldn't be playing limited overs cricket. He gets hit, and is then criticised. He is a genuinely good Test fast bowler. This is a big year for Indian cricket. We need him to fire in Tests, especially outside India," Shastri told TOI in an exclusive chat. India play five Tests in England this summer, which will be followed by four in Australia in the winter.

As an IPL governing council member since the beginning of the league, Shastri was pleased with the booty that the uncapped domestic players walked away with in the auction recently. "Performances in domestic cricket were respected and acknowledged . Having covered the Ranji final, I enjoyed that. The efforts of a lot of players in that game were recognised and they got what they deserved . I wasn't surprised with the high price a few of them fetched," he reckoned.

He then issued a statutory warning. "The most important thing is to get some good people around these players, to ensure they remember why they got that money. Their work ethics must remain the same. They need their parents or people around them to ensure that money is looked after well, and it doesn't go into their heads, because there are two ways to look at it. You can get that money, and you can disappear into oblivion three years down the line because you can get carried away. That is an area in the IPL that needs to be looked into. I'm sure the BCCI will look into that. It is important that young players are mentored. They must realise at a young age they got that money because of good performances, and if they carry on, more will come,'' ' he explained.

Shastri was also impressed after meeting Mumbai wonderkid Prithvi Shaw for the first time. "I've heard a lot about him. I told him I'll watch him in the nets. What I already like about him is his self-confidence and poise. He knows there is something in him. He likes to keep things simple, which is good," Shastri gushed.

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Shweta Pandey

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