Former England spinner Monty Panesar praised India’s bowling unit for the recent success of the team. The Indian captain Virat Kohli has a tremendous record as the skipper of the side and the bowling unit has been instrumental in the same. The bowling battery has delivered the goods not only in the Indian conditions but also in the overseas conditions.
India had clinched their maiden Test series win against Australia in Australia on the 2018-19 tour. However, Panesar believes India need to consistently win overseas to prove their mettle. West Indies of the 1980s and the Australian team of the 1990s and 2000s were able to win consistently in all the conditions. Consequently, India should do the same to leave behind their legacy.
Pace battery has been right on the money.
Monty Panesar said while talking to Times of India, “I think he (Kohli) has changed the team dynamics, the fitness of the players. The seam department is a lot better now. I think what West Indies of the ’80s and Australia of the ’90s did was that when they played away, they didn’t just win once, they did that again (and again). India has got this tour of New Zealand happening and they need to win there because you don’t want people to think that was just a one-off (overseas) series win. Australia may not happen again but New Zealand is a lot easier, isn’t it? Virat Kohli has got a good seam attack now. So they should beat New Zealand in New Zealand”.
The Indian team didn’t play any Test matches in the foreign conditions in 2019. Virat Kohli-led team will tour New Zealand next year and they are expected to do well against the Kiwis. Panesar added that the tense situations of the IPL matches have helped the Indian players in handling the pressure in a better way.
Panesar added, “I think the development started there because India are producing better cricketers now with the IPL. The players are able to perform better under pressure. Jasprit Bumrah is an example of an IPL product, and now he can play all three formats. Now Virat is demanding a high level of fitness and also he’s demanding skill-execution under pressure”.
India has done a fine job in the recent past and they would like to continue their domination going. The pace battery has taken giant strides and they have been right on the money.