'We began talking a lot on various aspects' - Ravi Shastri throws light on close bond with Virat Kohli

The Ravi Shastri era came to an end in Indian cricket last month with the veteran stepping down as the national team’s head coach. Having been appointed for the role in 2017, Shastri enjoyed a terrific run and under him, India won several important series and tournaments. Although an ICC trophy would have added a cherry on the cake, the southpaw will still go down as one of the most successful head coaches in Indian cricket history.

Meanwhile, Shastri is known to share a close bond with team skipper Virat Kohli. The duo never held back in praising each other and their partnership also did wonders for the national team. Speaking of his relationship with the talismanic batter, Shastri recalled how Kohli got over the ghosts of the 2014 England tour and bounced back against Australia later that year.

Virat Kohli was absolutely ready to walk that talk: Ravi Shastri

For the unversed, Shastri was Team India’s director from 2014 to 2016. The former Indian coach said that he and Virat discussed many aspects of the game and the same strengthened their bond. “We began talking a lot, on various issues – batting techniques, the path forward, lot of things. And I think, it really came to the surface in Australia, when he finally bought into everything we discussed,” said Shastri in an interaction with the Times of India.

“He was absolutely ready to walk that talk – not just in the way he played his game but the way we wanted the team to play. A very aggressive style of cricket, in your face cricket, where you were never out there to please others. The whole focus was to do whatever it takes, do whatever is right, within the laws of the game, to win,” he added.

Shastri also recalled Kohli smashing four hundreds in as many Tests during the 2014-15 tour of Australia. “He set the bar really high on that tour, got four centuries and a fifty. We lost that series 2-0 but I still remember Alan Border walking up to me at the end of the series in Sydney and said: “Rav, well done man. Not many teams bat out the last day to save Test matches at the colosseums, which is Melbourne and Sydney”,” recalled the former Indian all-rounder.