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Ravi Shastri has statistics to back his claims on Team India's performance, says Kapil Dev

However, while Sourav Ganguly reckons that Team India's true test is yet to come, especially when the squad travels to South Africa and then to England; Mohammad Azharuddin felt that Shastri's words are more of 'disrespectful'.

Ravi Shastri has statistics to back his claims on Team India's performance, says Kapil Dev

New Delhi: Team India have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the ongoing Test series with a win by an innings and 53 runs in the second Test against Sri Lanka, at Colombo, on Sunday. Ravi Shastri had expressed his delight on India's startling show on both occasions, but it, however, didn't go down well with few former skipper.

Ahead of the second Test match against Sri Lanka at Colombo, Shastri had said, "This team has been together for two years now.They are much more experienced now. They have already done things which a lot of Indian teams and some big names could not achieve, like winning a series here (Sri Lanka). A lot of big players with 20 years of experience have not done."

However, while Sourav Ganguly reckons that Team India's true test is yet to come, especially when the squad travels to South Africa and then to England; Mohammad Azharuddin felt that Shastri's words are more of 'disrespectful'.

Right after India's win in Galle by a massive 304 runs, Ganguly had said to India Today, "Virat hasn't been tested yet. Sri Lanka is probably not the strongest Test side at the moment. For me, the fans as well as for Virat Kohli himself, the yardstick will be how well his side performs in South Africa, Australia, and England."

And then Mohammad Azharuddin said to India Toady, "He's being disrespectful to himself as well, as he has been part of Indian teams of the past. But you can't stop people from commenting. Sometimes I don't know why people make such comments. I don't think such comments deserve a reaction from me. He has been part of sides of the past as well. So I will leave it at that."

However, another former Indian skipper Kapil Dev completely differs from the rest. He supports Shastri's judgement of Team India's performance over the last two years. In an interview to India Today, he said, "If this team has done well we have to respect that. Statistics say that. Else don't show statistics. There is no disrespect. If you don't like it sorry. It's not about hurting any egos. It maybe that future teams will perform even better. That's his thought process."

Virat Kohli-led India have not only won eight consecutive Test series now, standing just one behind Ricky Ponting's record of nine, but Virat as a captain has equalled MS Dhoni's record of six Test wins on foreign soil. Apart from that, the 13-Test-match long home series witnessed the rise of two lethal spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Not to forget, Cheteswar Pujara's calm and composed innings has now led him to stand third on the newly released ICC Test rankings. Probably these are the stats that Kapil seems to be talking about.

Analysts have speculated that it is improper to comapare India's glory in a Test series played against a jaded Sri Lankan side. But to that, Kapil replied, "I think it's just a way of saying. When history is created you have to say so. And these young boys are far better than any other team. They are playing with a purpose and you have to respect that."

Team India are now in Kandy for the third and final Test, tomorrow. Their aim, to wash out Sri Lanka with a 3-0 Test series win.