News

Ganguly credits fitness for India s fast bowling rise

July 6, 2020 12:45 PM


Twitter Share Facebook Share WhatsApp Share

India's cricket chief Sourav Ganguly says improved fitness standards and a change in culture have led to the country developing one of the world's best pace attacks.

Spearheads Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah are part of a battery of five formidable quick bowlers that have helped change India's traditional reliance on spin bowling.

"You know culture has changed in India that we can be good fast bowlers," Ganguly said in a chat hosted on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Twitter feed.

"Fitness regimes, fitness standards not only just among fast bowlers but also among the batters, that has changed enormously.

"That has made everyone understand and believe that we are fit, we are strong and we can also bowl fast like the others did."

The West Indies dominated world cricket in the 1970s and 1980s led by a fearsome pace attack that included all-time greats such as Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Malcolm Marshall and Joel Garner.

Recently Indian quicks have risen to the top in world cricket with Shami, Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar in a deadly arsenal.

"The West Indies in my generation were naturally strong," the former India captain said.

"We Indians were never such naturally strong... but we worked hard to get strong. But I think it is the change in culture as well that is very important."

Shami last month claimed that the current Indian pace attack may be the best in Test history.

"You and everyone else in the world will agree to this -- that no team has ever had five fast bowlers together as a package," said Shami.

"Not just now, in the history of cricket, this might be the best fast-bowling unit in the world."

Shami took 13 wickets during India's 3-0 home Test sweep over South Africa last year, while Bumrah has claimed 68 scalps in 14 Tests since his debut.



Most Read

  1. Mexican claims victory by paying $28 for $28,000 Cartier earrings Mexican claims victory by paying $28 for $28,000 Cartier earrings
  2. Two Railway Police personnel killed in Mardan Two Railway Police personnel killed in Mardan
  3. Ducky Bhai pledges million-rupee reward for unveiling source of deepfake video of his wife Ducky Bhai pledges million-rupee reward for unveiling source of deepfake video of his wife
  4. Relationships are tough; Mrunal Thakkur plans to freeze her eggs Relationships are tough; Mrunal Thakkur plans to freeze her eggs
  5. Gunmen storm Lucky Cement factory, kill security guard Gunmen storm Lucky Cement factory, kill security guard
  6. When Pakistani pilot shot down Israeli fighter plane When Pakistani pilot shot down Israeli fighter plane

Opinion

  1. PML-N smashed PTI in by-polls
    PML-N smashed PTI in by-polls

    By News Desk

  2. Riding the Digital Wave: How Technology is Rewriting the Script of Economic Prosperity
    Riding the Digital Wave: How Technology is Rewriting the Script of Economic Prosperity

    By News Desk

  3. Tax on solar energy: Govt's misplaced priorities favour powerful stakeholders over people welfare  
    Tax on solar energy: Govt's misplaced priorities favour powerful stakeholders over people welfare  

    By Manzoor Qadir

  4. Legacy of Indian military subjugation in Kashmir
    Legacy of Indian military subjugation in Kashmir

    By Dr Ghulam Nabi Fai

  5. Islamabad becoming the hub of international diplomacy
    Islamabad becoming the hub of international diplomacy

    By Salim Bokhari

  6. Insights into the Pakistan Stock Exchange's Recent Record High Triumph
    Insights into the Pakistan Stock Exchange's Recent Record High Triumph

    By Zulfiqar Ali Mir