An epitome of style; a wall at the top of the order; the glamour boy of Indian cricket in the 80s; a commentator whose voice was music to the ears...It’s difficult to describe what Ravi Shastri means to Indian cricket. He has handled various roles in his lengthy association with the game and has handled them with a finesse only he can conjure up. Shastri was regarded as a prodigy from an early age. As a result, he made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bombay at the age of 17. His international debut came a year later in a Test against New Zealand in 1981. In contrast to his flamboyance off the field, his batting was measured and conservative. Although his conservative style earned him many critics, it made him dangerous as well. When India won the 1985 World Championship of Cricket trophy in Australia, Shastri was adjudged Man of the Series. He retired from all forms of cricket in 1992, at the age of 30. His uncanny ability to understand the nuances of the game led to him being appointed as the head coach of the Indian men’s team in 2017.