"We Were Bit Timid": Ravi Shastri On Why Team India Should Play Aggressively In T20Is

The 2022 T20 World Cup will start in Australia in two months' time. Since 2013, India have not won any ICC event and the World Cup will be a major opportunity for the Rohit Sharma-led side to end that drought. Under Rohit, Team India has increasingly shown a tendency to play aggressively in the T20I format. Former India coach Ravi Shastri on Tuesday said India must continue with their ultra-aggressive approach with the bat in the shortest format after being a tad 'timid' in the past.

India's conservative approach at the start of the innings had contributed to their early exit from the T20 World Cup last year. The tournament was Shastri's last assignment as India head coach. "They should not change the approach (they have shown of late). Even when I was coach we discussed we were a bit timid at the top considering the players we had down the order," Shastri in a press conference organised by Star Sports.

"It is the right approach. You will lose a few games in between but if you start winning with this approach you can take that confidence in big games and use the same tactics.

India are playing the Asia Cup ahead of the T20 World Cup. In the continental event, Virat Kohli will come back into the side after being rested for the West Indies series, while KL Rahul returns after an injury lay off.

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Can the two senior batters show the same aggression the younger players have shown in their absence? "Why not? They are very experienced players," said Shastri. "They have played enough IPL and T20s and it should not be tough for them to adjust. With Rishabh, Hardik, Jadeja there is enough depth in the middle and lower order to get the innings back on track if top order falls cheaply."

With PTI inputs