Lakshmi Shastri, mother of former India cricketer and head coach Ravi Shastri, on Wednesday graciously accepted the Sports Journalists’ Association of Mumbai (SJAM) Lifetime Achievement Award on his behalf at a ceremony held at Bombay Gymkhana.
“It is a great privilege for me to be here today in the absence of my son, Ravi Shastri, who is in England at the moment, holding the same mic and giving commentary on the second test at Birmingham. He requested me to come here, so on his behalf, I`m extremely privileged to accept the award, Lifetime Achievement Award (sic),” she said.
At the Bombay Gymkhana, the Sports Journalists’ Association of Mumbai (SJAM) presented the Lifetime Achievement Awards on World Sports Journalists Day, with all the awardees joined by Ravi Shastri’s mother, Laxmi Shastri.
Via: @AshishRane2 #WorldSportsJournalistsDay… pic.twitter.com/bsuHLNa4C0
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She took a moment to remember her late husband, Dr. Shastri, who played a pivotal role in shaping Ravi’s early cricketing journey. “At this moment, I would like to mention that we miss his father, Dr Shastri, who played a major role in his formative cricketing years. Undoubtedly, he would have been very, very happy today, to be present here and see that his son has been achieving so much and getting this award. All that I can say today, on his behalf and my behalf, we are very proud of you, son. Good on you, as the Aussies would say. And we treasure all the memories that you have given us. We will always cherish it. May you go from strength to strength..because really, you have a long way to go (sic),” she remarked.
On World Sports Journalists Day at Bombay Gymkhana, Lakshmi Shastri accepted the SJAM Lifetime Achievement Award for her son Ravi Shastri, who later made headlines by slamming Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir on live TV over resting Jasprit Bumrah.@ClaytonMurzello #RaviShastri… pic.twitter.com/Kr0oboWbaL
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When asked to recall her favourite cricketing moment from Ravi’s storied career, she recalled how she first learned of his record of smashing six sixes in an over at the nearby Wankhede Stadium from the local bhelpuri vendor who witnessed it firsthand. “There are many treasured moments which he has given us. But I would say that the one where he scored six sixes (in an over), and I was blissfully unaware of the fact that she was doing it in Wankhede Stadium. And I was told by my Bhelpuri wala, who was present there and witnessed it. Later, Ravi came home, and he had to immediately leave somewhere. I asked him, What happened today? And you know his style. He always wanted to never say the truth to me. And he said, You want to know what I did? Then you tune in to All India radio at seven o`clock. So I first asked the Bhelpuri wala, why has he asked me to do this? (sic)” she said.
“So I went, informed my husband, who was sitting in his training, that you better come and hear the seven o`clock, the Maharashtra…Marathi news. So he said, Why? I said, this is what everybody`s saying. So then I came home and there to my greatest surprise, it was being announced that he had sobered (Sir Garfield) Sobers, and a placard came across Marine Drive the next day, hailing Ravi Shasri`s record. (sic)”
Looking back on 1985, she fondly recalled how unfamiliar the name ‘Audi’ was back then, admitting she couldn’t even pronounce it when Ravi was presented with the iconic car as an award after being named the ‘Champion of Champions`.
“1985, for instance, was a glorious year for him. He started with these 6`6s. Then he ended up in the Benson & Hedges World Championship of Cricket in Australia, where he was awarded this title, `Champion of Champions`. And the famous Audi car, which nobody, at least me, I didn`t even know how to pronounce the name of. I`m sure many in India have not seen that. That memory of the entire team taking a round in the Melbourne ground will ever stay in memory. Thank you, Ravi. You have been a great son to us, and we hope you will achieve much more (sic),” she said.
