India coach Ravi Shastri said his team now possesses its most fierce pace attack of all time after the world No1 Test team registered a 203-run victory over England in the third Test at Trent Bridge.
India’s fast bowlers took 19 out of 20 England wickets in Nottingham before off-spinner Ravi Ashwin finished the match 10 minutes into Wednesday’s fifth and final day by dismissing James Anderson.
India, who have relied heavily on spinners over the years, now have a potent pace attack. At Trent Bridge, all-rounder Hardik Pandya took 5-28 in England’s first innings while fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah snared 5-85 in second.
Moreover, India’s best seam bowler – Bhuvneshwar Kumar – is injured and yet to play a Test this series.
When asked if this is India’s best ever pace attack, AFP quoted Shastri as saying: “By a mile, by a mile. No (other India) team comes even close.”
Bumrah bowled a marathon 26 overs on Tuesday, which is remarkable as this was his first competitive match since suffering a thumb injury in a Twenty20 against Ireland in Dublin on June 27.
“He is different, he is like when (Lasith) Malinga came on the scene or a Mitchell Johnson,” said Shastri of the 24-year-old Bumrah, who played his first Test against South Africa in Cape Town in January.
“He has that element of surprise. With that long spell he surprised us as well – almost 30 overs in that one innings, for someone who has not played for a month and a half is commendable.”
India have won just one of their six previous series outside of Asia – against West Indies. But Shastri insists his team can be a force abroad.
“In the four years I’ve been doing this job, I think if you look at a clinical performance overseas, I think this has to be the best. When you look at all three departments, they stood up. As a batting unit, as a catching unit and as a bowling unit, so you can’t ask for more.
“The endeavour of this team is to be the best travelling team in the world. And I believe they’re almost there. In India, we know what we can do. Especially if we play in conditions that suit us, very few teams will have a sniff.
“But to go to South Africa, England, Australia and try and win there, that’s the endeavour of this team and they have it in them.”