South Africa Series Changed The Face Of Indian Bowling Unit - Ravi Shastri

Team India’s bowling unit witnessed a massive change in the last few years and went onto to becoming the best attack. They have played a significant role in India’s success across the globe. Speaking of the unit, head coach Ravi Shastri identified one serie which changed the entire group for good.

Since, Virat Kohli & Co went down fighting against South Africa in 2018, the entire bowling line-up comprising of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, and Umesh Yadav displayed real character as India registered maiden series win in Australia earlier this year apart from their dominance at home.

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Ravi Shastri praise India’s bowling attack

Shami was exceptional in 2019 with Ishant, and Umesh rallying behind. Although Bumrah struggled in the second half of the year with injuries, he became the third Indian to register a hat-trick when he picked three in a row against the mightly West Indies. Ravi Shastri spoke highly of his bowlers and pointed the 2018 South Africa series as the game changer.

“Absolutely…no question about that. I was very clear in South Africa after we had a team meeting after the first day of the Cape Town Test. Then seeing what they did in the second innings, I had no doubt in my mind that if they carry on in this fashion, very soon you will be an attack that will have to be contended with. The fact that they learned to bowl as a unit, you know made all the difference,” Shastri told IANS.

Furthermore, Ravi Shastri noted that it was important for the bowlers to come out as a group and back each other. The entire group was upto the mark with the recent home series being the icing on the cake. While the spinners are known to dominate the subcontinent wickets, it was otherwise against the South Africa and Bangladesh series where the pacers were the wrecker-in-chief.

“You bat as a unit and the same goes for the bowling. You understand the situation and go with a common game plan. It is all related to team play. Once I knew that was happening in South Africa, I knew it was a matter of time for the world to notice,” Shastri concluded.