New Delhi: Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes the Rohit Sharma-led side should have the mindset to win 4-0 over top-ranked Test team Australia in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting from Thursday in Nagpur.
He added that he expects the ball to turn in the series opener.
After Nagpur, India and Australia will face off in matches at New Delhi, Dharamshala and Ahmedabad. India are the current holders of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won the last three series against Australia in 2017, 2018-19 and 2020-21, while Australia last won a Test series in India in 2004.
“India should look to win 4-0, we’re playing at home. I’m brutal. I’ve been to two tours of Australia, I know what’s happened. My mindset would be, ‘How can I beat Australia 4-0 if I’m the coach’, which means day one, I want a ball to pitch on leg stump and hit off stump.”
“I want it to rip. If someone asks me what kind of pitch? Expect that. If you lose the toss, expect the ball to turn in the first session of play. That’s what I want, and take it from there,” said Shastri on The ICC Review show.
Shastri also said India should opt to play left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav in the playing eleven at Nagpur, to give their bowling attack more variety.
