Former Indian bowling coach remembers order of Ravi Shastri after India's loss in Cape Town Test 2017

Bharat Arun recalled of a past incident where India was not good with the bat in the South African tour. India had toured SA for a multi-format series and played 3 Test matches in 2017 and 2018. India lost the series 1-2 but displayed a good fight as a visiting side against a good home side. It is good to note that India won the Test match in the most difficult conditions in Johannesburg.

In the Test series, India was 0-1 down after the Cape Town Test and lost the series practically with a game to go after the loss at Centurion. The Men In Blue's performance at Cape Town was not encouraging and the then Indian coach Ravi Shastri was furious at the team. The then-Indian bowling coach recalled the order Shastri gave to the team after a poor performance with the bat from the visiting side.

Arun claimed that the team's bowling in the 2023 Test at Centurion was not good and claimed that they were too erratic. "The rest of them, if you look at their lines, there was much to be desired. Far too much width and also, on certain occasions, far too short. So that that doesn’t suit, you know when you’re bowling in South Africa," said Bharat.

'I think discipline is of most importance' - Bharat Arun

Arun felt that the bowlers offered too much width and were shorter than normal. He then went back to 2017 and revealed the conversation. Arun claimed that Ravi Shastri had asked the batters to attack irrespective of the result if they did not have any kind of plan to counter the bowlers. It reflected in the way India batted.

"Like I remember the conversation Ravi Shastri had after the Cape Town Test first innings – he said I want you guys to leave the driving license at home. Unless you have something specific, attack them all the time. So, that was the key. That’s when the entire bowling revolution started. So I think discipline is of most importance," added Arun.