1983 or 2011? Ravi Shastri reveals which World Cup triumph was tough for Team India

Mumbai: Ravi Shastri has seen Team India evolve over the years. Right from his playing days to then as a broadcaster and now as the head coach, it has been a long journey.

He is also one of the few to witness two of the biggest moments in the history of Indian cricket – first as a player in their maiden World Cup in 1983 under Kapil Dev and later when MS Dhoni ended India’s 28-year wait.

The 56-year-old recently featured in Gaurav Kapur’s show Breakfast with Champions and was asked to choose between the two tournaments in terms of pressure to which he chose the latest.

“In 1983, we were the underdogs. Everyone suggested us to just go and give our best shot, there were no expectations. But 2011 was huge for various reasons. The tournament was in India, no team had a World Cup whilst hosting. Everyone wanted India to win,” the former Team India all-rounder recalled.

Shastri also spoke about the media hype when the country hosted the tournament back home. No team had won the World Cup at their own backyard before Team India did the impossible.

“The difference in media hype in 2011, when compared to 1983, was chalk and cheese. The pressure on those boys (2011 team) was massive and to pull it off in that style, the way MS (Dhoni) finished it, unbelievable,” Shastri added.