Indian fast bowling looks settled for overseas tours: Glenn McGrath

PTI

Chennai: Australian fast bowling great Glenn McGrath is highly impressed with Indian pacers' performance during the Test series in South Africa and backed them to maintain the momentum in the upcoming tours of England and Australia.

Indian pacers bowled their heart out in the series which the visitors lost 1-2.

"They say you can't win Test matches consistently if you can't take 20 wickets. The bowlers India have at the moment are looking good, especially (Bhuvneshwar) Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Jasprit

Bumrah as well as the spinners," McGrath, who is Director of Coaching at MRF Pace Foundation, told reporters here.

He said Hardik Pandya was also doing a good job.

"Obviously Pandya is doing his job as well. There is no shortage of bowlers. So things are looking good for India at the moment."

McGrath also heaped praise on U-19 star Kamlesh Nagarkoti, who attracted a lot of attention with his left-arm pace in the World Cup in New Zealand. It helped him bag a lucrative deal with KKR for the upcoming IPL.

"He has got some good real pace. I was impressed (with his performance) in the U-19 WC. He has got selected for KKR which is another bonus for him. I think he has got a bright career in front of him.

"For someone so young he is able to generate high speeds which will put stress on his body. As long as he looks after his body and concentrates on what he wants to do, he will get the results. He can't get lazy. It's tough to get to the top but it's tougher to stay there," the legendary paceman, who finished with 563 wickets from 124 Tests, said.

On what India had to do well to succeed on the forthcoming tour of England, the former Aussie paceman said it is about getting used to the conditions and adapt to Duke balls.

"It's just about getting used to the conditions. We always say bowl with good control, hit the deck top of off-stump. In England you have to hit that right length. There will be seam movement but the pitches won't be as quick as what is in Australia. It is different to what it is in India.

"If they can adapt using that Duke cricket balls, I think the Indian bowlers will enjoy bowling there," he added.

On India's tour of Australia later this year and if the team stood a chance, McGrath said despite the good performance in South Africa, Australia would win.

"No. They don't stand a chance of winning (laughs). There are positive signs there without a doubt. They played well in South Africa. I don'1t think SA is quite the team it used to be. But you still have to give credit to India. They had done well in those conditions. It's different to what they have back home. The signs are good but my prediction will be the same as always. 2-0 for Australia," he said.

McGrath, who took over as director of coaching at the famed MRF Pace Foundation from compatriot Dennis Lillee, said he was delighted to see several of the academy's trainees doing well and earning IPL contracts.

"Basil Thampi is selected into the Indian team. Seven of the MRF trainees are in different IPL teams. KM Asif has been picked by CSK. I think it is a big positive for the Pace Foundation," he said.

The Aussie legend is in the city to impart coaching to the trainees till March 17.