Ravi Shastri reveals the reason behind India's dismal batting show

India head coach Ravi Shastri feels this side is travelling better than the teams of the last 15-20 years.

Virat Kohli led Team India has lost two consecutive overseas Test series in this calendar year. They lost 1-2 to South Africa earlier in the month of January and now 1-3 to England with one more game remaining. 

The weakness in the team composition has been getting exposed tour after tour, yet the head coach feels this side is travelling better than the teams of the last 15-20 years.

“As hard as our guys tried, England were one-up on us there. Nothing to take away (from them), the endeavour of this team is to travel well, compete and win. If you look at the last three years, we have won nine matches overseas and three series (against West Indies and twice in Sri Lanka),” said Shastri here on Wednesday.

"I can't see any other Indian team in the last 15-20 years that have had the same run in such a short time, and you have had some great players playing in those series.

Shastri's way of 'crossing the lines'

“I think you have got to get tough mentally. We have run teams close overseas and we have been completed. But now it's not about competing (any longer). We have to win games from here onwards. Now the endeavour is to understand where you made the mistakes, take it head on and try to correct it.

“The scoreline says 3-1, which means India, have lost the series. What the scoreline doesn't say that India could have been 3-1 or it could have been 2-2, and my team knows it. They would have been hurt and rightly so after the last game. But this is a team that will not throw in the towel," he said ahead of the fifth and final Test starting here on Friday.

What the batsmen need to improve

“I think shot selection left a lot to be desired. We blew away a very good position straight away after tea on day two (in Southampton). That's an area where you can tighten, and be aware of what the team needs. Being aware of the match situation will be a big help. I think that was crucial more than anything else.

“I thought at 180-4, there was a definite chance of a 75-80-run lead, and that would have been crucial. So that hurts. Edgbaston could have gone either way because we had our share of luck as well. At one time England were in the driver's seat; we managed to come back. But there was a stage where you could have been really ahead of the game, after the job the bowlers did on day one.”

Justifying Hardik Pandya’s position in the batting order

 “When you're young, you've got to be thrown into the deep end. You've got to persevere and see if it works or it doesn't work. If it doesn't work, there'll be another option.

“But you have to give that opportunity when you think there is that talent there. And stick with that. You always have to be flexible. You can't be rigid in your thinking. You've got to be flexible, you've got to see the conditions, see what conditions will be like the day after tomorrow. And then take the call (on playing four bowlers).”

India will be playing for pride in the fifth Test, which will also be Alastair Cook's final Test.