what position did Ravi Shastri start at in batting?

[fineleg]

When he was new to Indian team, what position(s) did Ravi Shastri usually bat at? I think he kept going up the order, till he started opening with Kris Srikkanth? Ashwin can he slowly climb up the batting ladder? However, one thing to say is R.Shastri as a bowler was >>> R. Ashwin, say what? Another diff, Shastri can come down and tonk spinner for SIX better than Ash.

[vvvslaxman]

No.11 or No.10 i think. He made debut in 1980/81. Was opener in 1982/83 series against Pakistan. They didn't take too long.

[Marut]

When he was new to Indian team, what position(s) did Ravi Shastri usually bat at? I think he kept going up the order, till he started opening with Kris Srikkanth? Ashwin can he slowly climb up the batting ladder? However, one thing to say is R.Shastri as a bowler was >>> R. Ashwin, say what? Another diff, Shastri can come down and tonk spinner for SIX better than Ash.

How did you conclude that Shastri was a better bowler? Apart from Australia, and apart from pieces of brilliance over 10 years, Shastri was tonked whenever India toured. Except two or three years, Shastri generally got whacked in India also. He was somewhat ok in ODIs, as compared to tests.

[vvvslaxman]

How did you conclude that Shastri was a better bowler? Apart from Australia' date=' and apart from pieces of brilliance over 10 years, Shastri was tonked whenever India toured. Except two or three years, Shastri generally got whacked in India also. He was somewhat ok in ODIs, as compared to tests.[/quote'] When he started his career he was good. He had one of the most traditional left arm spin action. He was in the side mainly as a spinner. SOmewhere down the line he lost it and focused more on his batting. Bit like Vidyut Sivramakrishnan . He started his career as no.11. Made a 100 at no.11 then very soon became an opner. Ashwin is the opposite. At lower levesl he played as opener. Then he became a bowler.

[Marut]

When he started his career he was good. He had one of the most traditional left arm spin action. He was in the side mainly as a spinner. SOmewhere down the line he lost it and focused more on his batting. Bit like Vidyut Sivramakrishnan . He started his career as no.11. Made a 100 at no.11 then very soon became an opner. Ashwin is the opposite. At lower levesl he played as opener. Then he became a bowler.

I thought Shastri bowled best during mid 80s - He had an average start, a decent middle and a disastrous end as a bowler. He had just 2 five wicket hauls and a bowling strike rate of 104 as a bowler - he was just another ordinary Indian bowler of the 80s. During the 80s we had a lot of promising spinners who lasted for a brief period - like Siva, Hirwani, Maninder etc - after the spin quartet of the 70s retired, until Kumble we did not have a reliable spinner.

[vvvslaxman]

I thought Shastri bowled best during mid 80s - He had an average start' date=' a decent middle and a disastrous end as a bowler. He had just 2 five wicket hauls and a bowling strike rate of 104 as a bowler - he was just another ordinary Indian bowler of the 80s. During the 80s we had a lot of promising spinners who lasted for a brief period - like Siva, Hirwani, Maninder etc - after the spin quartet of the 70s retired, until Kumble we did not have a reliable spinner.[/quote'] He was a good bowler. But he ran into some good sides like West Indies at the start of his career. Doshi was the main spinner for us for a while. Karsan Ghavri used to bowl both spin and pace. He got plenty of bounce due to his height. But he didn't have whole lot of variations though. Won't call him a terrible bowler. But not a special bowler.

[putrevus]

Sorry guys like Shastri were bane for Indian cricket, we don't want any more Shastris they will take teams no where especially in tests. We need every player even all rounders who should walk into the team at least on one skill.You don't make team stronger by bits and pieces players. Shastri squeezed every ounce of talent he had ,good for him but bad for the team.