Indian pace attack can do wonders in South African conditions: Chief selector MSK Prasad

Indian fast bowlers have played a vital role in achieving the number one Test status.

Indian fast bowlers have done reasonably well in recent times | Getty

BCCI’s chairman of selectors MSK Prasad reckons that the current crop of Indian pace attack is one of the best to have toured overseas and will do wonders in Proteas conditions. Virat Kohli’s troops are scheduled to tour South Africa for a three-match Test series next month and Prasad believes that each one of current Indian pacer brings something different to the table.

"I can't comment on the opposition bowling attack but from our perspective we have one of the best bowling attacks that has toured South Africa," Prasad was quoted by PTI as saying.

"You see Umesh (Yadav) and (Mohammed) Shami might be hitting 140 but they still swing the ball. We also have Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar), who can swing the ball either way. We have included Bumrah, who has variety. Ishant (Sharma) is there always and Hardik (Pandya) adds that different dimension. So there are five different varieties of bowlers that we have picked," he further elaborated.

During India’s preceding tours of South Africa, England, Australia and New Zealand, the pacers used to get carried away with their line and eventually the team had suffered. However, Prasad believes that it will be different ball game this time around since India is going on the tough tour with so many victories under the belt.

"The confidence we have with so many victories in Test matches, though they have come at home but still..going on a winning note is always good. So I am sure this is one of the most balanced teams that we have," the chief selector said.

Meanwhile, in order to lessen the workload of six frontline pacers – Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, Indian team management had urged the BCCI to let Basil Thampi, Mohammed Siraj, Avesh Khan and Navdeep Saini accompany the team. And now the team management’s wish has been granted by the Indian cricket board.

"The team will have four pacers to help at net sessions. They are Basil Thampi, Avesh Khan, Mohammed Siraj and Navdeep Saini," a senior BCCI official had told CricketNext.

India Test squad for South Africa tour:

Virat Kohli(c), Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Parthiv Patel, Jasprit Bumrah

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 22 Dec, 2017

    Share Via