'Experience is not bought or sold in the market', says head coach Ravi Shastri

Mumbai: Team India's head coach Ravi Shastri has said that he has gained a lot of experience as a player as well as a broadcaster, which will help him excel in his role. The former all-rounder also weighed on his belief that having the same set of people as his support staff-- Bharat Arun and R Sridhar will help build continuity in the team.

“I don’t like to be judging myself, but the fact is that I have been around for that long. I have been in the game four decades now. I was 17 when I played for Mumbai and played for India when I was 18 and I have not missed a single season either as a player because after that I became a broadcaster, then a coach and director of the team,” Shastri told Gulf News.

“So obviously having travelled and watched the game closely and having the exposure it does help. When you have that kind of experience it does help when it comes to man-management and communication skills. Experience is not bought or sold in the market. You got to put in the yards to go the distance,” he added.

India's next challenge is against the Proteas where the Men in Blue will be playing a 3-match T20I series followed by a 3-match Test series.

“When a team is playing in this fashion over five years it is important that you get behind the team and be positive rather than try and create any trouble. This kind of consistency I have not seen any time,” concluded Shastri.