MUMBAI: With only 13 One-Day Internationals left for Team India to play before they land in England for the World Cup in June next year, coach
Ravi Shastri says the time for chop and change is over.
READ ALSO: Ravi Shastri a 'yes man'? No way, insists Virat Kohli"No more chopping and changing. That's over. We will try to play the 15 who will go to the World Cup," Shastri said on the eve of India's departure to Australia.
There are only those many matches left now in the 50-over format for the team to use up ahead of the all-important tournament and Shastri adds that the idea, going forward, will be to "look to play the best team at all times".
India are set to play three ODIs in Australia, five in New Zealand and another five against Australia at home when they return in February.
While the World Cup is the bigger picture, the team is looking at, Shastri and
Virat Kohli also have a point to prove in the Test series against Australia that begins next month. After losses in South Africa and England, the coach says it's been a learning curve and "if we can learn from the mistakes we made, it will hold us in good stead (in Australia)".
Therefore, the focus right now is the four-Test series and it's the last of three challenging assignments India were scheduled to undertake this year. "Right now, the focus is entirely on that," says Shastri.
Time to walk the talk.