Ravi Shastri: Journey of A Cricketer – Commentator – Cricket Coach

Ravi Shastri, born on May 27, 1962, is a former cricketer who played for the Indian national cricket team. His playing career transitioned from a left-arm spin bowler to a batting all-rounder. Shastri was part of the Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup.

As a cricketer, Shastri was known for his defensive style and trademark “Surrya rai shot,” a flick off the pads. Standing at 6’3″, he had a limited range of shots against fast bowling but utilized lofted shots effectively against spin. Shastri played as an opening batsman or in the middle order.

Career Highlights:

Shastri was elected Champion of Champions in the World Championship of Cricket in Australia in 1985.
He equaled West Indian Garry Sobers’s record of hitting six sixes in an over in first-class cricket.
Shastri played a key role in India’s Ranji Trophy title win in 1984/85, scoring a crucial 76 in the final.
He played county cricket for Glamorgan and scored over 1000 runs in 1989.
Shastri took on various roles in Indian cricket.

Personal Life:

Shastri is of Mangalorean descent, born in Bombay, and studied at Don Bosco High School.
He captained the Don Bosco cricket team to victory in the 1977 Giles Shield.
Shastri played for Bombay in domestic cricket and led them to the Ranji Trophy title in his final year.
He played his first Ranji Trophy match at 17 years , becoming the youngest cricketer to represent Bombay at the time.

International Career:

Shastri made his Test debut in 1981 and eventually became an opening batsman.
Notable performances include his first Test century against Pakistan in 1982 and a crucial partnership with Mohinder Amarnath against Pakistan.
Shastri’s success continued in the 1985–86 season, and he played a key role in India’s World Championship of Cricket win in Australia.
He served as the vice-captain of the Indian team in 1985 and later captained the team in one Test match in 1987.
Shastri’s leadership included winning the Rothman’s Cup in Sharjah in 1985 as the vice-captain.

Late Career and Retirement:

Shastri’s late career highlights include scoring two centuries in the 1990 Test series against England and a double century in Sydney against Australia.
Knee injuries plagued the later part of his career, leading to his retirement from international cricket after the 1992 World Cup.
He briefly returned for the World Series Cup but aggravated his knee injury.

Post-Retirement:

Shastri married Ritu Singh in 1990, and they have a daughter named Alekha Shastri.
After retiring from cricket, he became a TV commentator and worked in various roles, including serving as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
Shastri has been involved in coaching, serving as the head coach of the Indian cricket team from 2017 to 2021.
In November 2021, Shastri joined Legends League Cricket as the Commissioner of the League.