'He switched on the karaoke': Ashwin recalls how Ravi Shastri cheered up the team after 36 all-out

As Team India prepares to face Australia in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, memories of their previous triumphs Down Under come flooding back. The 2020/21 series, in particular, was a testament to the team's resilience and determination. Despite suffering a humiliating 36 all-out in Adelaide, India bounced back to win the series 2-1.

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Ashwin recalls Ravi Shastri's unexpected gesture

According to Ravichandran Ashwin , the team's spirits were low after the Adelaide debacle. However, the then head coach Ravi Shastri's unorthodox approach helped lift the mood. Ashwin recalled how Shastri organized a team dinner and broke into an impromptu karaoke session, singing with gusto. The rest of the team soon joined in, and the evening turned into a morale-boosting exercise.

“We weren't thinking of a series win at all, because the whole team atmosphere was down. But in the evening, Ravi bhai organised a team dinner, and he sang as well. He switched on the karaoke and started singing. Slowly, others followed too,” Ashwin told Vimal Kumar on YouTube.

With Virat Kohli leaving the team after the first Test and several key players nursing injuries, India's chances of a series win seemed bleak. But Ashwin revealed that the team focused on small targets, taking each match individually, and slowly began to turn the tide.

“Virat was leaving the team. So, our intention was to be positive, go to Melbourne and win. We didn't think of series, we kept small targets, we took each match individually after that,” he added.

As India gears up to face Australia once again, they'll be drawing inspiration from that memorable 2020-21 BGT series, and the karaoke night that sparked their triumph. The upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is scheduled to begin on November 22 at the Perth Stadium. 

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The series will be crucial in determining whether India will play the final of the World Test Championship for the third consecutive time or not. India are currently the No. 1 ranked side in the WTC 2023-25 standings with Australia occupying the second spot.