Ravi Shastri speaks about the importance of adapting to the conditions

India’s tour of South Africa is all set to commence from the 5th of January. As the team arrived in Cape Town, Ravi Shastri addressed the first press conference. The Indian coach spoke about the challenges that await them heading into the Test series. He stressed the need to adapt to the conditions. While he rated South Africa highly, he also acknowledged that India weren’t going to let them breathe easy.

This South Africa tour is India’s first big overseas assignment after a long time. While India put up quite a fight in the previous series in 2013, they still lost 1-0. When asked whether the team is ready for the challenge, Shastri was optimistic. He stated that while they respected the opposition, the key was to adapt to the conditions.

Team is up for the challenge

“All I can say is the team is up for the challenge. If you asked me four years ago, I would have said no. But this team has gained in experience. The beauty of this team is it does not matter which opposition it is. We respect all opposition. We look at the pitch and adapt to those conditions.”

The pitches in South Africa are going to offer bounce and some lateral movement. When asked how India were going to deal with that, he stressed on how adapting to the conditions was more necessary than anything else.

“Tomorrow you go to England and it might be seaming all over the place. You come to India it might be turning. If you want to be rated as a side, you adapt to the conditions. It’s as simple as that. Leave all the other crap aside and try and compete in the conditions that on offer,” the 55-year-old who has previously toured the country as a player added.

South Africa have been the best travellers

Speaking about the opposition, Shastri lauded the firepower in the Protean side. He further spoke about how they had been great travellers and boast of a good bench strength. He expects it to be a good contest.

“South Africa have always been a good solid all-round side. I mentioned that in the last two years no team has travelled well. India has started doing that. If you look before that, it’s always been South Africa, ahead of any other team. It was a team that was in transition, but South Africa have always had good bench strength. The thing now, though, this will be a good contest,” he stated.