Former India head coach Ravi Shastri emphasised the importance of succession planning as he believes there is a pool of talented youngsters ready to make their mark. Shastri acknowledged that while India have a surplus of young white-ball players due to the Indian Premier League (IPL), careful consideration should be given before automatically promoting them to the red-ball format.
Shastri highlighted the significance of red-ball records, the quality of opposition faced, conditions played in, and the temperament of players. He emphasised that temperament is a key factor in Test cricket, as players need to display resilience and a willingness to confront challenging situations.
“There are seniors ready to be phased out and there are youngsters ready. No question about it when it comes to T20 cricket. Lesser in 50-over cricket and even fewer in Tests,” Shastri told The Week.
“Because of the IPL, you see an abundance of high-quality, young, white-ball players. But, one should not get carried away by that and think they should be automatic red-ball choices. No, I would rather see the red-ball record. I would sit with the selectors and find out more about who the [red-ball performances] were against, in what conditions, what are their strengths, what is the temperament of the bloke like.
