Virat Kohli, Ajinkiya Rahane lead birthday wishes for Ravi Shastri

India’s head coach and celebrated TV pundit turns 58

Dubai: Ravi Shastri, the head coach of Indian cricket team, often sportingly accepts that he is the most ‘trolled’ man on social media. However as the ‘Champion of Champions’ of the 1985 Benson & Hedges World Championship turned 58 on Wednesday, he was greeted by a deluge of good wishes from his ‘boys’ as well as the cricket fraternity.

India captain Virat Kohli and Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane were one of the first to wish Shastri on his special day on Twitter.

Kohli uploaded a picture of himself and wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni, laughing with Shastri, and his tweet read: “Many seem confident but only few are brave. Happy birthday Ravi bhai. God bless. #throwback.”

Rahane too shared a picture with Shastri and wrote on his Twitter handle: “Wishing you lots of happiness and a very happy birthday Ravi bhai. Have a good one and see you soon!”

Left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav uploaded a picture of himself and Dhoni with Shastri and wrote: “Happy Birthday @RaviShastriOfc Sir. Wishing you joy and happiness. Stay blessed.”

Former India allrounder Yuvraj Singh, often a vocal critic of the current team management, also took to social media to wish Shastri: “Happy Birthday senior. Have a great day. Best wishes cheers.”

Out-of-favour India batsman Suresh Raina wrote: “Happy Birthday @RaviShastriofc. Have a good one Ravi bhai.”

Team India’s chairman of selectors Sunil Joshi also wished Shastri on social media and his tweet read: “Wishing the head of Indian men’s cricket team, @RaviShastriOfc a very happy birthday. Stay safe stay healthy.”

Shastri played 80 Tests and 150 ODIs for the country, scoring 3,830 and 3,108 runs respectively in the two formats. He was also a fine spinner as he scalped 151 and 129 wickets in Tests and ODIs respectively.

He was a part of ‘Kapil’s Devils’ which won the 1983 World Cup, but his finest hour came when Shastri emerged as Man of the Series during India’s 1985 Benson & Hedges WSC triumph under the leadership of Sunil Gavaskar.

Donning the hat of a commentator after quitting international cricket rather early with a troublesome knee, Shastri lent his voice to two of the most iconic moments in Indian cricket history - 2007 WT20 win and 2011 World Cup victory.