Ever since India was ousted from the World Cup following their loss to New Zealand in the semi-final, there have been reports of a rift between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The Indian captain, before departing for West Indies, shunted away all such theories and branded them disrespectful.
In a recent interview, Indian head coach Ravi Shastri too rubbished all such reports and said that there were different opinions in the Indian dressing room and that people have the freedom to come with different suggestions for the betterment of the side.
'It is absolute nonsense'
"Listen, I have been around the dressing room for the last five years. I have seen how the boys have played and how they have complimented the team and know their work ethics. I feel it is absolute nonsense. I have been there with them and I know the way they play. If that was the case why would Rohit get five hundred in the World Cup? Why would Virat do what he is doing? How would they have partnerships together," Shastri told Gulf News in a recent interview.
The head coach, who is a big advocate of communication, also said that the atmosphere in the dressing room was such that it allowed different players, even if he was a junior member, to speak their mind and offer suggestions.
"In a side when you have 15 players there will always be times when there will be opinions that will be different. That is what is needed. I don't want everyone toeing the same line. You have got to have discussions and someone might then think of a fresh strategy which has to be encouraged. So you have to give the guys the opportunity to express themselves and then decide what is best," Shastri further added.
Speaking about the mood in the Indian camp and the way the players pulled up after their heartbreak in the World Cup, the head coach said that the side were aware they had a chance to create a legacy and the players have been striving to achieve just that.
"This team has an opportunity to do great things. We have a legacy like the West Indies did the in the Eighties and Australia did in the turn of the century. This team too has an opportunity to leave that kind of legacy and they are already doing it," he said.
India dominated West Indies in the just-concluded series and now they are all set to take on South Africa in a 3-match T20I series, which will then be followed by a 3-match Test series.
