Virat Kohli welcomes Ravi Shastri with open arms ahead of Sri Lanka-India series

Mumbai: Team India captain Virat Kohli, on Wednesday, backed Ravi Shastri’s appointment as the head coach, ahead of team’s departure for Sri Lanka.

The appointment of the India head coach was a long-drawn affair, as the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) finally picked Shastri as the man for the job.

Ahead of the former India captain’s first series as the Team India head coach, Kohli was asked whether he and his men would have difficulties adapting to Shastri’s method of coaching, after having worked under Anil Kumble for a year. The India captain was quick to point out that his side has already worked with Shastri, when the latter was team director from 2014 to 2016.

"We have worked together in the last three years. I don't think I need to understand anything else. We have worked before, we know what's expected and what's on the plate. I don't think it will require any effort," Kohli said.

"Understanding and communication apply on everything. It applies to any relationship and not just cricket,” he said. “Everyone has gone through relationships somewhere in life, same rules apply."

India are set to play three Tests, five ODIs, and one T20I on their tour of Sri Lanka.