Shastri expects tough series against Proteas

Bengaluru, Sep 25: Indian cricket team director Ravi Shastri expects a tough series against the visiting South Africa who are scheduled to play three Twenty20 Internationals, a five-match One-Day International (ODI) series and four Test matches. "You got to respect the fact that they are the No.1 team in the world. We know what we are up against. They play well in overseas conditions. They travel better than any other side in world cricket and their record will show that. We respect them but we won't take any backward steps," said Shastri here on Friday. Shastri, whose position with the team was extended up to the World Twenty20 in India next year, said he was up to the challenge of managing a young team which will be led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the shorter formats and Virat Kohli in Tests. "Every assignment is big for me for the past 30 years. You take one series at a time. There is no small series in world cricket today. It is just the teams that change. The work ethics, what you put in to place to win a game, all that has to be done in the same way as with any other team. So nothing changes," said the former India captain.