India cricket team director Ravi Shastri yesterday chose to avoid the Taskin Ahmed-Mahendra Singh Dhoni picture controversy saying he does not “read newspapers”.
On Friday, two days ahead of the Asia Cup final between India and Bangladesh, a picture of right-arm pacer Ahmed carrying the severed head of the Indian limited-overs captain Dhoni had gone viral on social media. Reportedly the picture was posted by a Bangladesh fan.
When asked about it at the pre-match media conference, Shastri said: ”I don’t read newspapers. You people should read the papers, we should go and play cricket. I don’t have a habit of reading when there are matches around. You read, think about what is written and make your assessments on that. We will only go out there and play cricket.”
This is not the first time a Bangladesh fan has targeted India on social media. Earlier in 2015 when India struggled to cope with pacer Mustafizur Rahman, a Bangladesh newspaper had published a picture of half-shaved heads of the Indian players, in order to show the after-effects of Mustafizur’s ‘cutters’.
“We are experienced players. We just treat it as another game. Why treat it as a final? You approach it like you’ve approached every game in this tournament,” Shastri. “For us, every game is a knockout; we’ve approached it in that fashion. And we’ll approach tomorrow’s game in no different manner.”
The only time India were in a spot of bother in the Asia Cup was in the first match of the tournament when their batting stuttered till Rohit Sharma teed off towards the end to take them to a comfortable win. That game was played on a green-top against Bangladesh, and the pitch for the final was also quite green on match eve, though whether it will look the same 24 hours later is another matter.
“I was asked before the start of the tournament that you are going to get a green-top – so be it. Whatever track is on offer tomorrow, we are ready to play,” said Shastri. “Our job is to go play in whatever conditions we are offered. Because you realise very quickly that it is not one team playing there, both teams have to play on that surface. So it is fair play.
“That was a good game. If you look at it, Bangladesh was a very good win to start off the tournament. First game, we were under pressure, and in the last ten overs we bounced back. But every game is a tough game. It’s how you balance things out in batting and bowling department at the end of it. And I thought we did an excellent job. But the first game was a tough game.”
Shastri also played down the pitch factor that has been discussed quite a bit during this tournament.
“Pitches are not in our hands. I was asked before the start of the tournament that you are going to get a green top? So be it. So whatever track is on offer tomorrow, we are ready to play,” he said.
“Our job is to go play in whatever conditions we are offered. Because you realise very quickly that it is not one team playing there, both teams have to play on that surface. So it is fair play.”
On how the Indian team has transformed since he took charge in England, Shastri said he would save that answer for a longer interaction with the media. “I will have to sit here for 10 hours if I have to tell you all that,” he said. “We are the No 1 team in T20 cricket. It has been a gradual process but an enjoyable one. Let’s hope we can show that kind of cricket in the final too tomorrow.”
He also refused to name any particular player who has done exceptionally well in his opinion.
“I don’t like to single out any player. When the team is doing well, let’s talk about the Indian cricket team. That’s more important. This is not a game of individuals. This is a game of a team that goes out to play,” he concluded.