Ravi Shastri

Shastri was a member of the Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup.He won C.K Naydu lifetime achievement award at Indian cricket team annual award show NAMAN on 24/01/2024.

As a cricketer, Shastri was essentially defensive with his trademark "chapathi" (a flick off the pads), but he could raise his strike rate when required.

Due to his above-average height (he stood 6' 3" tall) and an upright stance, he had a limited number of shots against fast bowling, but was able to put the lofted shot to good use against spin bowling. Ravi played either as an opening batsman or in the middle order.

Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri (born 27 May 1962) is a former head coach of the India national cricket team and a cricket commentator.

Playing for Don Bosco (Matunga), Shastri reached the final of the 1976 inter-school Giles Shield, finally losing to St Mary's, whose lineup included two future Ranji players, Shishir Hattiangadi and Jignesh Sanghani.

The next year, under Shastri's captaincy, Don Bosco won the Giles Shield in 1977, the first time in the history of that school.

At school, his coach was B. D. Desai, once a Tatas and Dadar Union player.

While Don Bosco was not traditionally a major force in schools cricket, the R. A. Podar College, where Shastri later studied commerce, produced many good cricketers.

Vasant Amladi and, in particular, V. S. "Marshall" Patil, were integral figures in Shastri's development as a cricketer.

When not in Mumbai, Shastri lives in Alibaug.

In his last year at the junior college, he was selected to represent the Bombay team in the Ranji Trophy.

At 17 years and 292 days, he was then the youngest cricketer to play for Bombay.

His only notable achievement in his first two Ranji seasons were bowling figures of 6-61, which he took against Delhi in the 1979–80 Ranji final that Bombay lost.

While he was playing against Uttar Pradesh at Kanpur in the next season, he was called up to the squad touring New Zealand to stand in for the injured left arm spinner Dilip Doshi.

Shastri arrived in Wellington the night before the first Test.

His first over in Test cricket was a maiden to the New Zealand captain Geoff Howarth.

In the second innings, he took 3 wickets in four balls, all to catches by Dilip Vengsarkar, to bring a quick close to the New Zealand innings.

In the third Test, his seven wickets won him the man of the match award, while his 15 wickets in the series were the highest for either side.

An Indian under-19 team was scheduled to tour Pakistan in 1980–81.

Shastri was included in the coaching camp at the last minute by the National Coach Hemu Adhikari.

Shastri captained one of the two teams in a trial game and was then asked to lead the Indian Under-19 team.

The tour, however, was cancelled.

The team later went to Sri Lanka, but the games were frequently interrupted by rain.

As a player, he played for the India national cricket team between 1981 and 1992 in both Test matches and One Day Internationals.

Although he started his career as a left arm spin bowler, he later transformed into a batting all-rounder.

The Ranji final of 1984/85 turned out to be one of the finest matches in Indian domestic cricket history.

A sleepy Gavaskar won the toss and batted.

He could hardly close his eyes before Bombay was 3 down for 42.

The highlight of his career was when he was elected Champion of Champions in the World Championship of Cricket in Australia in 1985.

In the same season, on 10 January 1985, he equaled West Indian Garry Sobers's record of hitting six sixes in an over in first class cricket.

He was regarded as a potential captain, but his image outside cricket, injuries and tendency to lose form at crucial times meant that he captained India in only one Test match.

In domestic cricket, he played for Bombay and led them to the Ranji Trophy title in his final year of playing.

He also played four seasons of county cricket for Glamorgan.

He was forced to retire aged 31 due to a recurring knee injury.

He has done commentary on behalf of BCCI in the matches that India play.

In 2014, he became the director of Indian cricket team for a period of eight months from India's tour of England until the 2015 World Cup.

On 13 July 2017, he was appointed as the head coach of Indian cricket team.

On 16 August 2019, he was re-appointed as the head coach of the senior men's Indian team and remained in charge until the 2021 ICC T20 World Cup.

Shastri is of Mangalorean descent, was born in Bombay and studied at Don Bosco High School.

As a teenager, he took to cricket seriously.