Early arrival in SA could have helped the team: Shastri

Johannesburg, January 22: India head coach Ravi Shastri on Monday (January 22) said early arrival in South Africa would have made a difference to the team's fortunes in the on-going Test series.

India lost Tests in Cape Town and Centurion to surrender the series 2-0 to South Africa and will face the hosts in the third and final Test at the Wanderers from Wednesday (January 24).

"We are not here to moan about the tracks because like I said at the start of the game that both the teams play on the same surface. The good thing though is people won't crib and moan when matches in India get over in two and a half days. Neither will they ask me what kind of track are you playing on.

"In hindsight, I would say another 10 days of practice here would have made a difference. But that's no excuse. The pitch we play on, it's the same for both sides and I would rather focus on the 20 wickets we have taken. That has given us a chance in both Tests to win games. Our top order, if we can fire, it will be a good Test match." said Shastri,

The former India captain said in future care would be exerted to add training matches in the schedule.

"Unfortunately, the schedule was such that you had matches. But am sure in the future when itineraries are made that will be taken into account, there is absolutely no doubt about that. You get there couple of weeks earlier and prepare." said Shastri.

The omission of Ajinkya Rahane from the first two Tests and Bhuvneshwar Kumar from the second Test had attracted sharp criticism from all corners. But Shastri defended the decisions.

"Chopping and changing overseas is easier. In India, you don't need to chop and change because you know what the conditions are. Overseas, you go on current form and you go on conditions and you see which player can adapt to certain conditions quicker than the other.

"What are the overhead conditions for which bowler to play as opposed to what kind of track you will get, where you need a bowler with bounce or you need a bowler with swing. So that's where the chopping and changing starts.

"That will always be the case. If Ajinkya had played first, and not done well, you would have asked me the same question, why Rohit hasn't played. Rohit played, he didn't do well, you are asking me Ajinkya didn't play. The same would have happened with the fast bowlers.

"So when you have choices, the team management has discussed what is the best option and they stick by it they go by it." Shastri said.

Shastri praised bowlers for putting up a fine effort.

"Our bowlers did a great job. I mean no one expected our bowlers to fire the way they did and take 20 wickets so I rather harp on that because for me that's the biggest positive that has come out of this tour.

"We are here to live and learn from our mistakes and like I said that is the positive. Even our top order, we go in with six batsmen, five batsmen and an all-rounder, so it means that responsibility on both sides on the top order is that much more. so you it wont be easy." Shastri said.