India cruise against Namibia provides subdued send off for Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri

Captain and coach end their tenures with easy win in final T20 World Cup group match

India captain Virat Kohli embraces Namibia's David Wiese after India win the T20 World Cup match in Dubai on Monday, November 8, 2021. AP

India batsmen Suryakumar Yadav and KL Rahul, second right, greet Namibia players after the match in Dubai. AP

Virat Kohli shakes hands with Suryakumar Yadav after the match. Reuters

Virat Kohli shakes hands with Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus after India's victory. AFP

Suryakumar Yadav bats during the T20 World Cup match between India and Namibia. AP

KL Rahul raises his bat after scoring a half-century against Namibia. AFP

KL Rahul plays a shot during India's T20 World Cup match against Namibia. Getty Images

KL Rahul plays a shot against Namibia in Dubai. Reuters

Suryakumar Yadav plays a shot next to Namibia wicketkeeper Zane Green. AFP

KL Rahul plays a shot against Namibia. Getty Images

Namibia's Michael Van Lingen watches the ball run down the field. AP

Namibia bowler Jan Frylinck celebrates the wicket of Rohit Sharma. Getty

India fans cheers on their team from the stands. Reuters

India fans cheer on the team and wave giant flags in the stands. Getty Images

India's Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul run between the wickets. AFP

Namibia's David Wiese bats against India. AFP

India's Jasprit Bumrah in the field during the Namibia innings. Getty Images

Namibia's Jan Frylinck avoids a bouncer against India. AFP

India's players celebrate after the dismissal of Namibia's Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton. AFP

Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja celebrate after the dismissal of Namibia's Stephan Baard. AFP

Given all that Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri have achieved during their captain-coach alliance for India, this hardly represented a fitting end.

Yes, their side dominated. But well they should have done, given it was the world’s largest cricket-loving nation playing against one which has just five cricket fields.

The routine nine-wicket win over Namibia at a largely subdued Dubai International Stadium was the last match of Kohli’s reign as T20 captain, and Shastri’s last as coach.

While Pakistan, New Zealand, England and Australia vie for the T20 World Cup trophy this week, India’s players will be heading home.

It was not the result they wanted, but could be the respite they need. India’s leading players have been on tour, living under managed conditions, since before the Test World Championship in the UK in June.

This World Cup started just two days after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League. After six months of that, no wonder this has been a tournament too far for them.

“I’m mentally drained, but I expect that at my age. These guys are physically and mentally drained,” Shastri said, ahead of his final assignment before handing over to Rahul Dravid.

“It has been six months in a bubble. What we would have ideally liked would have been a longer gap between the IPL and the World Cup.

“It is a matter of when the big games come and the pressure hits you. You are not as switched on as you should be.

“This is not an excuse. We take defeat because we are not scared of losing. In trying to win, you will lose a game. Here, we didn’t try to win because that X-factor was missing.”

Despite finishing on a low ebb, Shastri reckons he has overseen “one of the greatest teams in the history of the game” during his four years in charge.

“When I took this job, I said in my mind that I want to make a difference. And I think I have,” Shastri said.

“Sometimes in life, it's not about all you accomplish, it's what you overcome.

“And what these guys have overcome in the last five years, the way they've performed in every corner of the globe in all formats - irrespective of what has happened here - will make this one of the greatest teams in the history of the game. I've no doubt about that.”

Kohli did not even make it to the wicket in his last game as India’s T20 leader. His side were cruising to the win, and when the first wicket did fall in their chase, he sent Suryakumar Yadav in ahead of himself, anyway.

Namibia’s batters had few answers to the battery of India spinners. Ravindra Jadeja took three for 16 and Ravichandran Ashwin three for 20, as Namibia eked out 132 for eight from their 20 overs.

Rohit Sharma led the reply with a rapid 56 from 37 balls, having been dropped in the first over sent down by Ruben Trumpelmann.

KL Rahul struck the winning runs and ended not out on 54 as victory was sealed with 28 balls to spare.

“It’s been an honour to have the opportunity and I have tried to do my best,” Kohli said.

“It is time for me to create some space and prioritise things moving forward. Unfortunately, the shortest format of the game has to give way to the longer formats.

“I have been immensely proud of how the team has played, and also grateful for the opportunity to have led the Indian cricket team in the T20 format for so many years.

“Now it is time for the next lot to take this team forward. Obviously, Rohit [Sharma] has been overlooking things for a while now, and we will always be the leaders in the group.

“It is a milestone moment for Indian cricket moving forward.”