'India's sharp bowling attack can enhance chances in World cup'

Former Australia cricketer Brett Lee during a promotional event at the Cricket Club of India yesterday. Pic/Atul Kamble

Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee believes India's sharp bowling attack enhances their chances of succeeding at the World Cup. Talking about Indian fast bowlers, the cricketer-turned-commentator was all praise for death over specialist Jasprit Bumrah and called him a class act.

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The Virat Kohli-led World Cup side comprises pacers Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar apart from all-rounders like pace bowling all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Vijay Shankar, who can swing the ball.

Jasprit Bumrah

In good hands

"I think India is in pretty good hands at the moment and I reckon their chances will be very good. That's because they have a good bowling attack," said Lee on the sidelines of an event where Runwal Group announced its coaching-related tie-up with Cricket Australia.

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"I am impressed with the Indian fast bowlers. Jasprit [Bumrah] to me, is a class act. He has got good pace and a different action," Lee said at the Cricket Club of India yesterday.

Lee also had some good things to say about young fast bowlers - Delhi's Navdeep Saini and Karnataka's Prasidh Krishna. "Prasidh has been bowling at 145k or thereabouts in the IPL. Saini is another promising fast bowler coming through. The pleasing thing about the current lot is that they have got good pace," he remarked. Lee claimed 310 wickets in 76 Tests and 380 scalps in 221 ODIs.

Fine tuning required

"Prasidh and Saini have nice actions. I do believe that these bowlers can be quicker if they are fine-tuned in their approach, their action and follow through," he said.

Lee, 42, had a piece of advice for youngsters who aim to become pace bowlers: "I will teach him to be a sprinter first. When you look at fast bowlers, who bowl at 160k, they have all been good athletes, good sprinters… that's what I did throughout my career." Lee also called for curators to prepare bowler-friendly pitches. "I would urge the groundstaff to prepare pitches that are a bit more conducive to fast bowling. I want to see pitches with a little bit more grass on them to make bowlers smart and give them more opportunities to bowl fast," he explained.

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