Former India coach Ravi Shastri wants Rohit Sharma-led India to take the lead after a heated exchange between Mohammad Siraj and Travis Head in the recently concluded pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
“I’m sure Siraj and Head are mature enough to face it and the dust will have settled already,” Shastri wrote in a column for Code Sports.
“If anything, I wouldn’t have expected anything else from a fast bowler after hitting a six. Siraj was letting off some steam. That’s the nature of a fast bowler. You want it to be like that.
“When I was playing, my philosophy was to give back the best you got. And that’s what I told my players when I was coaching India in Australia. Don’t hold back.
“Don’t even step back. It then became the team’s philosophy and from Virat Kohli to Rishabh Pant, every member of the team was ready to give back to Australia.
Shastri also wants India to change their approach in the third Test starting December 14 at the Gabba.
“What I want to see in Brisbane is to get back to the top of the captaincy. The opening batting is Rohit’s,” Shastri said.
“They may have tried to put him in the middle in Adelaide but they should immediately revert to that plan and push KL Rahul down the order instead.
“You need Rohit to set the tempo at the top. That’s his best position.”