India’s pace battery I simon doull says india’s pace battery misses practice match bowling in wtc final against new zealand

Southampton: Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doul feels India’s pace attack is hurting due to lack of match practice ahead of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand. New Zealand got a chance to play two Tests against hosts England before the WTC final, while the Indian team did not get enough match practice before the prestigious match.

The Virat Kohli-led Indian team last played a five-day match during their 3-1 home series win against England at home in March. Dull told Harsha Bhogle on ‘Cricbuzz Show’, ‘Many times you watch it and wonder if they (India) got enough time to prepare. I think they got it. I think he has bowled enough in the last 10-12 days to make sure he is ready for the match.

“But it is difficult to repeat match practice. You can try to do this by creating your own two teams, but it is not enough and it is important. It is difficult to replace match practice which makes you better and you prepare for these matches. Dull made this statement on a below-expected performance of the Indian fast bowlers in New Zealand’s first innings, as New Zealand scored 101 for two in reply to India’s 217 runs in the first innings.

Indian fast bowlers did not succeed

Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami failed to get much swing despite fast bowling conditions at the Aegis Bowl while New Zealand pacers Kyle Jamieson (5 for 31), Neil Wegner (2 for 40) And Trent Boult (2 for 47) took advantage of the favorable conditions of fast bowling in a rain-hit match to restrict India to a low score.

Dull said New Zealand certainly had the advantage of playing two matches against England before this prestigious match. He said, ‘New Zealand went into their first Test against England at Lord’s with the same preparation with which India went. The New Zealand team stayed in Southampton for almost 10-11 days, played their teams, trained, practiced and seemed to be in rhythm when they landed at Lord’s. Tim Southee bowled brilliantly, Devon Conway hit a double century at Lord’s after a 10-day net session here. It looked like they were ready.

India don’t have swing bowlers: Dull

Dull said there is no real swing bowler in the Indian XI except Ishant Sharma. “He is not a real swing bowler. I know Jasprit Bumrah can swing the ball, Ishant is a swing bowler, bowling round the wicket he comes with the angle that the ball swings out from the wrist. He brings the ball away from the left-handers and inside for the right-handers.

Dull said, ‘Mohammed Shami has never been a real swing bowler. He is a seam bowler. For me, Ishant is more important, not Bumrah, Shami. I expected the ball to seam more though. Shami and Bumrah bowled seams at times but were not able to do so consistently.