Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

Need five-six bowlers to succeed abroad: Nehra

By before first run innings in match at nson most

- IndoAsian News Service sportsdesk@hindustant­imes.com

Former India pacer Ashish Nehra feels India need five-six fast bowlers in their ranks for the upcoming away tours in 2018.

“Ishant (Sharma) is sitting out. Jasprit Bumrah is out, so we have good pool of four, five, six fast bowlers. The kind of cricket we are playing in the upcoming months we need five six fast bowlers in Test cricket as well as other two formats also. And we have that,” Nehra told reporters on the sidelines of India’s series against Sri Lanka at the Eden Gardens here on Friday.

In January, India tour South Africa for three Tests, six OneDay Internatio­nals and three T20s. In the summer, Virat Kohli and Co travel to England followed by Australia from November-January 2019.

Nehra said that the green top at Eden is being talked about more than the overcast conditions. Only one hour of play was possible on the opening day and lunch had to be called on early on the second day.

“The wicket is good but it’s all because of the rain that there is more moisture. Other than that, after one or two overs it would have been a very good wicket,” Nehra said.

“There is seam and swing and bounce and it is happening because of the rain. Yes I haven’t seen..once Dale Steyn pick 5-6 wickets..I think it was in Hyderabad...Nagpur, that time it was quite green. But here it’s not really swing but more of seam. The bowler himself doesn’t know it’s coming in so how the batsmen will know?

“You can’t pick anything from the hand. Like you see Virat’s dismissal, Lakmal bowled outswing but it pitched and it came in. So it’s difficult for the bowlers as well,” he added.

The left-arm mediumpace­r said if India would have won the toss and elected to field first, they would had Sri Lanka on the mat.

“If India would have won the toss, who knows with the level of cricket knowledge I have...we would have got Sri

Lanka out for 50-60 runs.”

KOLKATA: MELBOURNE:

 ?? GETTY IMAGES ?? Tim Paine last played a Test in 2010.
GETTY IMAGES Tim Paine last played a Test in 2010.
 ?? GETTY AFP ?? Suranga Lakmal
GETTY AFP Suranga Lakmal
 ?? PTI ?? Ashish Nehra (second from left) feels India would have had Sri Lanka on the mat if they had won the toss at the Eden.
PTI Ashish Nehra (second from left) feels India would have had Sri Lanka on the mat if they had won the toss at the Eden.

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