Former India head coach and ex-all-rounder Ravi Shastri received the CK Nayudu Award for lifetime achievement at the BCCI Awards 2024 in Hyderabad on January 23. BCCI Secretary Jay Shah and BCCI President Roger Binny presented the prestigious honor to Shastri. The awards ceremony, marking a return after a four-year gap, last took place in Mumbai in January 2020, disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Shastri, aged 61, was recognized for his significant contributions to Indian cricket, not only as a player but also as the head coach of the national team. The lifetime achievement award for the year 2019-2020 was also conferred upon Farokh Engineer. Shastri represented India in 80 Tests and 150 ODIs, amassing 6938 runs in international cricket, including 15 centuries. As a veteran all-rounder, he also claimed 280 wickets for India and played a crucial role in India's World Cup triumph in 1983 and the 1985 World Championship of Cricket.
Post his retirement, Shastri transitioned into commentary, becoming the voice behind India's historic victories in the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ODI World Cup in 2011. Shastri also took on the coaching role twice for India, first as a team director from 2014 to 2016 and later as the head coach until the T20 World Cup in 2021. Although India did not secure an ICC trophy under his coaching tenure, the team achieved back-to-back Test series wins in Australia.
During Shastri's coaching stint, India reached the final of the World Test Championship in 2019 against New Zealand. The Indian team, guided by Shastri and Virat Kohli, demonstrated a strong performance, reaching the semi-final of the ODI World Cup in 2019. The partnership between Kohli and Shastri emphasized an aggressive style of play, leading to success in Test series both at home and abroad.
After stepping down from coaching in 2021, Shastri returned to broadcasting, showcasing his enduring passion for the sport. The CK Nayudu Award adds Shastri's name to a distinguished list of recipients, including cricket luminaries such as Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, and Dilip Vengsarkar.
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