'It is an outstanding bowling unit (Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav) that we have got in our team. However, there is not much I can talk about the Australian batting line-up. They don't have the Waughs, Taylors, Clarkes, Pontings, Haydens, Langers. This is a very ordinary Australian side which India is playing against,' Venkatesh Prasad told MyNation
Bengaluru: The ‘best-ever’ tag for the Indian fast bowling attack should be accorded depending on the quality of the opposition batsmen, according to former paceman Venkatesh Prasad.
While many feel that the current set of Indian pacers are the country’s ‘best-ever’, Prasad did not go with it and presented his reasons for differing.
Also read: Javagal Srinath hails Jasprit Bumrah after MCG show
“This is, no doubt, a brilliant bowling unit,” Prasad told MyNation on Friday.
He continued, “But, the point is, what is the quality of the opposition we are talking about. That is also something which we need to take into account. Just imagine Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh, Mark Taylor, Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, and Adam Gilchrist coming in at No 7 and changing the course of the game. The current Australian set-up doesn't have even one good batsman and they are also without Steve Smith and David Warner (banned for ball-tampering). It depends on the quality of the opposition. But, I don't want to take the credit away from this bowling unit. Yes, I would definitely agree that this is one of the best attacks I have seen for a long, long time.”
Prasad, who was India's bowling coach, termed the current Australian side as “very ordinary”.
“The (Indian) fast bowlers are bowling brilliantly. They have been creating pressure throughout the Test series. It is an outstanding bowling unit that we have got in our team. However, there is not much I can talk about the Australian batting line-up. They don't have the Waughs, Taylors, Clarkes, Pontings, Haydens, Langers. This is a very ordinary Australian side which India is playing against,” Prasad made an honest assessment of the Tim Paine-led squad.
The 49-year-old Bengalurean, who played 33 Tests and 161 ODIs, is delighted with the way all five Indian fast bowlers Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar are bowling.
“The good thing about this whole fast bowling unit is that all the bowlers are quick, they are bowling consistently at 140kmph-plus. They are hitting amazing line and length. Also, the presentation of the seam is outstanding. None of them are bowling with any scrambled seam,” he said.
Also read: Bumrah breaks records in Melbourne
When asked about Bumrah’s career-best 6/33 at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Friday in the ongoing third Test, Prasad said he is bowling very well but did not want to single out him alone but insisted on lauding the entire pace attack.
“Jasprit Bumrah might have got a six-wicket haul but it is not about one particular bowler. In the last Test, Mohammed Shami got a six-fer. The whole fast bowling department (including Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who are not playing in Melbourne) has been outstanding. They are quick and hitting the helmets of the Australian batsmen.
“I don't want to single out any one bowler. Bumrah has been bowling very well and so are everybody else. How can I talk about only Bumrah. There are so many positives from this bowling department. Hope they keep themselves fit and they need to keep playing more and more matches, which is how they can get better,” he said.
Shot of the day, you reckon?
Boom gets a royal acknowledgement from pic.twitter.com/9d1dE5lYtS
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