Last Update on: November 24th, 2019 at 04:37 pm
India’s chief coach Ravi Shastri lauded the Indian bowling unit after the historic win against Bangladesh. The hosts won the pink-ball Test match by an innings and 46 runs. The Indian bowling line-up has played a key role in India’s recent success and especially the pace battery has delivered the goods.
In the second Test match against Bangladesh, all the 19 wickets (Mahmudullah was retired out) of Bangladesh batting unit were taken by the fast bowlers. Ishant Sharma scalped nine wickets in the match whereas Umesh Yadav took eight wickets. Furthermore, Mohammed Shami took two wickets in the first innings. Thus, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin hardly got to bowl.
India’s bowling unit is the most lethal.
The Indian pace battery has taken giant strides in the recent past and they have been instrumental in the success of the team. The Indian conditions are not known to aid the fast bowlers but the trio has been sensational.
Ravi Shastri said, “Great to see the team bowling as a unit. You feel proud as an Indian seeing men at work in such a professional manner. It’s taken time. I think the last 15 months in the foreign territory has made them understand how important it is to support one another and bowl as a unit. That’s when you create pressure, that’s when things happen. There has been a lot of hard work.”
On the other hand, Shastri believes that hunger to succeed in any condition is insatiable in this Indian team. This innings win of 46 runs is the seventh straight win for the Indian team. Furthermore, the last four wins for India have been innings wins – which is the most for any team.
Ravi Shastri added, “I think the discipline and hunger to win is a major factor in this team. They know they are arguably the best side in the world and they have been for some time at this level. They want to win every game and they know there are no shortcuts. They know it’s work across five days and it’s work as a team put across the table.
“Individuals are not going to win it, it’s going a team effort and they think in that fashion… and when you have a crowd like this, they don’t need motivation. They (crowd) were behind them all the time and the bowlers were charged up in this game more than in many games I have seen.”
Meanwhile, Bangladesh was not able to give a good fight to the potent Indian team. Shastri believes that the Tigers are still a work in progress in the Test fold and they need more exposure. Furthermore, Bangladesh was without the services of their best players in Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan.
Ravi Shastri added, “They (Bangladesh) need exposure. They are work in progress. They are strong in their country but when they travel there is plenty to be learnt. Mushfiqur showed how determined a player he is. Yes, they missed Shakib and Tamim. But I think the more the exposure they get the better they will get. If they strengthen their pace attack they can compete even better when they travel.”
India will next take on West Indies in limited-overs series.
