Ravi Shastri backs team

Mumbai: With important overseas tours of England and Australia lined up this year that can define Indian cricket, head coach Ravi Shastri felt that the Indian team have the arsenal to compete in all conditions.

“This team can compete in any conditions. Every condition is like home for us. The team, that adapts better to the pitch, will do well. We have to pick the  team according to the pitch like horses for courses to conquer the pitch and rest will follow,” he said at the launch of Eleven Gods and a Billion Indians authored by journalist Boria Majumdar here on Monday.

The 55-year-old was happy his boys raised the bar in South Africa to give close fight in three-match Test series and win the five-match ODI series after 25 years.

“What India did in South Africa, it makes a coach like me proud. Those 21 days cricket, India lost some close Tests but pendulum swung from one side to the other.

“A little bit of luck, even Test series could have been ours. Players were relentless, we went on to win the ODI series after 25 years. From coaches point of view I just backed the boys.”

“They have raised the bar. Hopefully we cannot take a backseat from here. The way India performed against South Africa, I think they can compete against any side in the world,” he said.

Rohit Sharma who led an inexperienced side in the T20 Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka agreed with Shastri that they can win in England and Australia and go on to win the World Cup next year in England.

“Under Ravi bhai we have always got the freedom to express ourselves. For me it just about winning, be it home or away,” Rohit said.