India head coach Ravi Shastri considers that the recent amendments to the Citizenship Act 1955 will see "plenty of positives coming out of it in the long run". In an interview with CNN-News18, Shastri threw his weight behind the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by urging people to think like an Indian and trust that the central government must have given due diligence to the outcomes before going ahead with the bill.

"Ever since I was 18 years of age I played for India, so I think Indian. I don’t think what nationality, yeh, woh’ (this or that) because in my team also there were all sorts. Different castes, different religions, Shastri told CNN-News18.

"I say guys be patient because I can see plenty of positives coming out of it in the long run. Think Indian, don’t think I am this, I am that. Think Indian and there are benefits coming your way. I am sure the government has thought about it. Now it is about the implementation. If there are still things that need to be tweaked here or there I am sure they will do it. For the benefit of India, for the benefit of Indians. I am speaking as an Indian here," he added.

Earlier this month, India captain Virat Kohli had declined to comment on the issue of CAA citing a lack of "total knowledge" about the new law.

"On the issue, I do not want to be irresponsible and speak on something that has, you know, radical opinions both sides. I need to have total information, total knowledge of what it means and what is going on and then be responsible to give my opinion on it.

"Because you can say one thing and then someone can say another thing. So, I would not like to get involved in something that I don't have total knowledge of and it's not going to be responsible on my part to comment on it. The city is absolutely safe. We didn't see any problems on the roads," Virat Kohli had said before the Guwahati T20I vs Sri Lanka.

According to the CAA, Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh and Parsi migrants who have entered India illegally-that is, without a visa-on or before December 31, 2014, from the Muslim-majority countries of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh and have stayed in the country for five years, are eligible to apply for Indian citizenship.

Critics of the amendment allege the latest amendment will shield non-Muslim illegal immigrants while making a large number of Muslims stateless people with an uncertain future.