Former India head coach Ravi Shastri showed his displeasure at Mumbai’s recent poor showing in domestic cricket and said that a casual approach and taking things for granted cannot be accepted. Shastri, a former Mumbai Ranji Trophy-winning skipper, urged Mumbai players “to respect the game.” He was addressing a gathering as chief guest of the Police Shield prize distribution function at Police Gymkhana on Sunday.

‘Respect the game’

“First and foremost, I get the feeling a lot of people who play for Mumbai these days take things for granted. They think if you have a Mumbai stamp then we will win…this doesn’t happen. You have to go and respect the game, respect work ethic, respect where you have come from and then go out and play as a team that is the Mumbai cricket team with pride,” Shastri said. The Shams Mulani-led Mumbai side managed only a solitary win and failed to make it to the knockouts of the Vijay Hazare Trophy recently. And under Ajinkya Rahane’s captaincy, Mumbai’s challenge ended in the league stage of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy in November.