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Former Team India head coach and commentator Ravi Shastri has stated that India’s 76-run defeat to South Africa wasn’t a shock and was bound to happen after the Men In Blue’s 12-match winning streak in the ICC T20 World Cup games.
Speaking on the latest episode of 'ICC Review', Shastri asserted that the defeat came early against a top-level team, which is a strong contender for the semi-finals. However, Shastri backed the Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, to bounce back stronger in the remaining two Super8 clashes against Zimbabwe and the West Indies.
"It was not a shock. You know, it was bound to happen. You win 12 matches on the trot, you know, it is bound to happen. You're bound to have an off day. And I'm glad it's come early, you know, against a team that is tipped to make the semifinals in any case. So, it might just be the shake-up India needed. It might also make them rethink their strategy as to the composition of the side going ahead. And, you know, I'm sure they will bounce back. You know, they would have learned from that last experience. You know, they are not going to take things for granted because in this Super 8, you lose one more, then you are really putting yourself under serious pressure. So, you know, I think this was a good shake-up and they will bounce back," Shastri told the ICC Review.
Additionally, Shastri reckoned that South Africa’s World Test Championship title win has done wonders for the team’s confidence mentally, adding that they got a nice blend of youth and experience in their line-up.
"You know, they have got a nice blend of experience and youth there. And the youth is dynamic, so they can change the course of a game at any time, plus I mean, David Miller stepping up, I thought, was a top-class innings, you know, the way he maintained his shape, played his shots. I thought it is a side that after winning that World Test Championship, it has done wonders to their confidence mentally," he added.
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