After Raina, Dhawan hails Shastri's role as Team Director

Days after Suresh Raina hailed Ravi Shastri's role as Team Director, Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan has said that the former captain instilled confidence in the side after the Test debacle.

Relieved after coming good with the bat following a string of poor scores in the Test series and then in the second and third ODIs, Dhawan thanked the support staff of the team and singled out Shastri for giving the team confidence.

"I would like to thank the entire support staff, especially Ravi (Shastri) bhai, who has given us a lot of confidence since he has joined the team. A very big thanks to my family for standing by me," the left-handed opener told 'BCCI TV'.

Raina had also credited Shastri for the dramatic turnaround in the team's fortunes after the second One-dayer.

"Ravi Shastri gave us a lot of confidence. He came in the team meeting and said a few words to the team which were very inspiring. He was also sitting with me in the bus when we were on our way to the stadium and he told me, 'khadoos khelna hai' (play a stubborn game)," Raina had said after his match-winning century in the second ODI against England.

After a 1-3 drubbing at the hands of England in the five-Test series, the BCCI had installed Shastri as the team director, prompting speculation over head coach Duncan Fletcher's future.

India came back strongly in the five-match ODI series to take an invincible 3-0 lead after the first game was washed off.

Dhawan, who smashed an unbeaten 97 to help India register a series-clinching win against England yesterday in the fourth ODI, emphasised that winning the One-day series against England in the lead up to the 2015 World Cup was crucial.

"We are playing the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand and six months before that, winning an ODI series in England so comprehensively, is a huge confidence booster. It is all the more special given how we bounced back from the disappointing Test series," he said.

"What I will take back from here is the way the entire team stuck together despite what we went through. We stood by each other every single moment and helped each other move on. I am proud of these boys," Dhawan added.

Observing that the Asian Games is going to be a tough event, he hoped that the Indian players would come up with some impressive performances.

"The Asian Games is going to be definitely a very tough event. I am hoping that we will get some good performances," he said.

Replying to a query, he said this season has been tough with important events like Commonwealth Games, World Championship and Asian Games lined up to take place in a span of a few months.

"We have had a tough event. last two months have been tough, where the Commonwealth Games which is very important, World Championship which is very important and now the Asian Games. So it is definitely tough. As a coach, as a player, I think it is very important that we keep forgetting (the losses) and moving on," he said.

Gopichand said he would not like to make any changes to the way the players prepare to improve the performances as only less than a fortnight is available.

"It is only two weeks left. We leave on 15th (of September). Today is 2nd (of September). Only 12 days left. So, really I don't see much change which can be done. Wherever the players are comfortable, I think we should let them train and focus on the next event," he said.