Former England pacer Darren Gough feels India have enough firepower in their pace attack to shelter the bowling department in the absence of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah.
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Gough, 47, opens about the different bowling options India have in spin and pace department and commented all-round attack has the potential to perform at any given venue despite missing their pace spearhead Bhuvneshwar for three Tests and Bumrah for the series opener.
India are not a side that is dependent on one bowler
“Bhuvneshwar is a big loss and he wasn’t at his best during the ODI series because he was carrying an injury. But India aren’t a side anymore that is dependent on one bowler. Earlier, they were dependent on Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath or Zaheer Khan, that is no longer the case. India are suited for all sorts of wickets, and they look prepared and geared up for this Test series,” Gough told PTI as reported by Times of India.
“Today, you have to be on top of your game to beat India, whether you are playing at home or away because they posses everything in their bowling attack. Kumar gives you swing, Bumrah is a skidding seam bowler, Umesh Yadav can move the new ball as well and he has got pace, Mohammed Shami is strong and hits the deck hard, while Ishant Sharma has experience, aggression and he can bowl lots of overs.”
He believes India’s spin attack has become more than handy after the addition of chinaman spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
“On top of that you have three spinners. R Ashwin is nearly unplayable in Indian conditions, Ravindra Jadeja keeps taking wickets and Kuldeep Yadav has already proven himself in England. Selection is not going to be easy and good luck to Indian team management, especially in the spin department, as someone will be upset when he is left out in Birmingham,” he said.
First test match starts in Birmingham from 1-4 August.
