Veteran cricketer and former Indian team head coach Ravi Shastri snubbed ace bowler R. Ashwin's recent comment about the relationship among team members and said, “I'm happy with five close friends in my life. So, colleagues all the time.”
In a recent exclusive interview with THE WEEK, when the former coach was asked about his relationship with the team and does he see the team members as colleagues, Shastri said, “For me, it was always colleagues. You will have buddies who are colleagues. But, how many friends does anyone have? Close friends. If you go and ask anyone, they will probably say four, five, in their life.” Shastri added that he is happy with five close friends in his life and does not want any more than that. “So colleagues, all the time, in the commentary box, too,” Shastri said.
In an interview with The Indian Express, Ashwin talking about the relationship among teammates said, “Once upon a time when cricket was played, all your teammates were friends. Now, they are colleagues. There’s a big difference, because here people are there to advance themselves and to stride ahead of another person sitting to your right or left. So, nobody’s got the time to say, ‘Okay, boss what are you up to’?”
However, in the interview, he also talks about the camaraderie he shared with his commentary 'buddy' Shane Warne. “He was a proper buddy. Because, you could talk about anything with him. And then the fun was in between commentary stints, which made it even more exciting,” Shastri said.
Shastri added, “You have that switch-on, switch-off. The switch-off with Warnie used to be fantastic. The conversations... and you are pretty much on the same page. So it was fun.”
Shastri said he misses Warnie. “I do not think there was anyone bigger, more colourful, who lasted the test of time. He just knew how to get under everyone’s skin. And yet, each one of them would [tip their] hats to him when it came to brilliance on a cricket field.”
Watch the full interview:
