Why did Ravi Shastri lose his cool at Wankhede Stadium?

The head coach of the Indian cricket team reportedly lost his cool ahead of the first ODI between India and New Zealand. The three-match series is all set to commence on Sunday in Mumbai at Wankhede Stadium. Kane Williamson and his men are in the country to improve their limited overs record in the country as they had lost the last series in 2016. However, they were the only team to have pushed India to the corner in that period. India, on the other hand, are on a dream run in their extended home season which is filled with limited overs cricket.

Shastri had also expressed his disappointment way back in 2015 when India hosted South Africa at the same venue in the 5th and final ODI. He had slammed the curator Sudhir Naik over the preparation of the pitch which was a batting beauty. The opposition led by AB de Villiers had racked up 438 runs and the Men in Blue had lost the game by 214 runs. But this time the reason of his fuming is altogether a different one and nothing related to the 22-yards.

What happened to Shastri?

The former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri was fumed over the meeting being scheduled on Saturday afternoon with the ICC Match Referee. According to the source, he was unhappy with the decision to schedule the meeting with Chris Broad involving Virat Kohli as well because it ate into the time of the practice session of his team. Also as per mid-day.com, Shastri was livid as he wasn’t informed of the meeting prior to the arrival of the team at the ground.

The meeting was attended by the coach and captain of both the teams and the Chris briefed them about the new ICC rules that have come into effect from this month. “Ravi expected the meeting to take place either in the match referee’s room or in the umpire’s room of the Wankhede Stadium. He was also fine with the meeting being held at the team hotel,” said a source.

Virat Kohli has led the team exceptionally well and perched to the number 1 spot in the ODI format after beating Australia by 4-1 in the 5-match series recently. The upcoming games are expected to be keenly fought as the Kiwis are equipped with excellent seamers in Tim Southee and Trent Boult. But the main threat to the hosts would the left-arm spin of Mitchell Santner who has bowled well in the country previously.