India's bowling coach Bharat Arun heaped effusive praise over pace duo Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav after their magnificent performances in the just-concluded home Test series against South Africa.
Despite the conditions, Shami and Umesh bowled exceedingly well and scalped 24 wickets between them as India completed a 3-0 whitewash over the Proteas.
"He's (Umesh) strong and quick and now he is bowling in better channels, making the batsman play around the off-stump," Arun told The Hindu. "He's got reverse swing, has a nasty short ball. He and Shami, who is fast, accurate and dangerous, are a potent combination."
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"We not only have quality pace bowlers but quality fast bowlers with different skill sets. And unlike in the past where we had one or two exceptional bowlers, we now have a bunch of pacemen who can bowl at over 140 kmph," he added.
Arun also gave a timely update on Jasprit Bumrah, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation from a lower back stress fracture, saying that the fast bowler doesn't need to have surgery and will hopefully be fit in time for Test series in New Zealand in March 2020.
"Fast bowling is an unnatural activity. Despite our best efforts there can be no guarantees. We expect Bumrah to be back sooner than later, hopefully in time for the New Zealand Test series that is our next big challenge. As of now, he doesn't need surgery," he said.
Further, Arun is happy with the pool of talent in the spin department which was only widened by how left-arm spinner Shahbaz Nadeem performed on his Test debut in Ranchi.
"He (Ashwin) is among the best spinners in the world, top class, and is approaching 400 Test wickets. In fact Ashwin went to England and Australia as our No. 1 spinner then ran into fitness issues," he said.
"Ravindra Jadeja grabbed his chance, giving us control with the ball, solidity with the bat and fielding brilliantly. Away from home, if we have to pick one of the two in the eleven, it will be horses for courses looking at the conditions and the opposition."
"Then we have Kuldeep Yadav who picked five with his wrist spin in his last Test in Sydney. We have an embarrassment of riches," Arun concluded.
(Inputs from The Hindu)
