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Ravi Shastri

Full Name: Ravishankar Jayadritha Shastri
Born: 27 May 1962, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Major Teams: Mumbai, Glamorgan, India.

Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Slow Left Arm Orthodox

Test Debut: India v New Zealand at Wellington, 1st Test, 1980/81
Last Test: India v South Africa at Port Elizabeth, 3rd Test, 1992/93

ODI Debut: India v England at Ahmedabad, 1st ODI, 1981/82
Last ODI: India v South Africa at Durban, 6th ODI, 1992/93

Career Statistics:

TESTS

 (career)

                      M    I  NO  Runs   HS     Ave 100  50   Ct  St

Batting & Fielding   80  121  14  3830  206   35.79  11  12   36   0

                      O      M     R    W    Ave   BBI    5  10    SR  Econ

Bowling            2625.1  657  6185  151  40.96  5-75    2   0 104.3  2.35

ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS

 (career)

                      M    I  NO  Runs   HS     Ave     SR 100  50   Ct  St

Batting & Fielding  150  128  21  3108  109   29.04  61.07   4  18   40   0

                      O      M     R    W    Ave   BBI   4w  5w    SR  Econ

Bowling            1102.1   56  4650  129  36.04  5-15    2   1  51.2  4.21

FIRST-CLASS

 (career: 1979/80 - 1993/94)

                      M    I  NO  Runs   HS     Ave 100  50   Ct  St

Batting & Fielding  245  356  56 13202  217   44.00  34  66  141   0

                      O      M     R    W    Ave   BBI    5  10    SR  Econ

Bowling            6942.1 1795 16744  509  32.89  9-101  18   3  81.8  2.41

LIST A LIMITED OVERS

 (career: 1980/81 - 1993/94)

                      M    I  NO  Runs   HS     Ave 100  50   Ct  St

Batting & Fielding  278  250  45  6383  138*  31.13   6  37   84   0

                      O       R    W    Ave   BBI   4w  5w    SR  Econ

Bowling            1994.2  8175  254  32.18  5-13    3   5  47.1  4.09

Profile:

For over a decade, Ravi Shastri rendered yeoman service to Indian cricket in many ways. As an obdurate opening or middle order batsman; as a left arm spinner who was an integral part of the attack; and as long time deputy to a couple of captains. In his time he was very much the glamour boy of Indian cricket, tall and good looking and with an image to match. He had his detractors who charged that he batted too slowly, that he was selfish in his approach, that he continued to be in the team only because Gavaskar was captain. But the phlegmatic Shastri took all this in his stride, letting his performances on the field speak for themselves. In reality, as Shastri himself admitted, he was not particularly talented but had come up only through hard work.

Shastri might not have cut a dashing figure on the field as he pushed and prodded and grafted his way for runs and his bowling was little more than defensive as he pegged away on a good length without much variation. But no one could deny his immense value to the side, his commitment to the team's cause and his consistency had to be admired. He very rarely let the country down and was an excellent utility cricketer in the one day game, good enough to win the coveted Champions of Champions title - and the Audi car that went with it - in the World Championship of Cricket in Australia in 1985. Despite his image as a cricketer with a defensive outlook, Shastri could really have a go at the bowling - as he did while equalling Gary Sobers' world record of six sixes in an over in a Ranji Trophy game in January 1985. A deep thinker and a shrewd strategist, he remains the only Indian Test captain with 100 percent record, having led the country to victory in the one Test he captained - against West Indies at Madras in 1987-88. Since retiring from the game at the early age of 32, Shastri has become a popular TV commentator.