We won't make any excuses about the conditions: Ravi Shastri

The Indian team is gearing up for the upcoming five-match Test series against which is set to commence on August 1 at Edgbaston. They are currently the number 1 side in the longest format of the game and are being tipped to put up a better show compared to their previous two tours to the country. Their head coach Ravi Shastri has also clarified now that they won’t be giving any excuses about the conditions and would look to put their best foot forward during the gruelling contest in whites.

There have been reports of the visitors complaining about the pitch and the outfield at the Essex County Ground in Chelmsford where they are playing the three-day practice game. But Shastri has also quashed out all the rumours saying that they will not give any excuses.

“There was good grass on that (pitch). The groundsmen asked if we wanted the grass to be taken off. I said ‘absolutely not’. (It is) your prerogative. You give (the wicket), we play, so when you come to my country you can never ask (about pitches),” he said during the press conference on Wednesday.

Our challenge is to beat them

Ravi Shastri clarified that the Indian team will not make any excuses about the tough conditions during the course of the series and will look to perform to their potential. One thing, on this trip, you will never see this Indian team giving an excuse as regarding conditions or the pitch. Our challenge is to beat them. We take pride in performing wherever we go and we want to be the best travelling side in the world. The last person to complain will be this Indian team (sic), so I want to clarify this very clearly,” he added.

He also justified the reason to shorten the practice game against Essex from four days to three days. The team wanted to practice more in Birmingham where the series opener is scheduled to take place. “The game was reduced from four days to three because of the logistics and the weather prevailing. We had an opportunity to practice three days in Birmingham, which is the Test match venue. If we had played four days here we would have lost that one day there because of travel,” Shastri concluded.

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