Mumbai, Feb 26 (IANS) Australian great Glenn McGrath has asked Indian pacers to be patient on New Zealand wickets and said one bad game does not make them bad overnight as they are still “world class”.
“In New Zealand it swings more, it seams a little bit more. So that first pitch there was fair bit of grass and India lost the toss.
“You’ve got to bat really well and on those pitches that are doing a bit, as a bowling unit, you have to do less. Just be patient, just get the ball in the right area,” McGrath told reporters here.
India lost the first Test at Wellington by 10 wickets. Senior pacer Ishant Sharma got five wickets in the first innings but other than him, the likes of fit-again Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami were not as effective as they have been in recent times. The second Test starts Saturday in Christchurch.
“I still have total faith in the Indian (bowling) lineup. They had a few injuries of late. Sharma is coming back and he did get five wickets. Bumrah had a couple of injuries and he is coming back,” McGrath said.
“So, yeah, I think the Indian bowling attack is world class and there is no doubt about that,” he added.
“I don’t have any issues with the bowling attack, you don’t lose form overnight. It was just one of those things where the toss made a huge difference. (in the first test in New Zealand), but you still got to get and score runs.”
McGrath also heaped praise on Ishant.
“…the way he’s (Ishant) comeback in the last couple years, it’s been impressive. I thought his career might have been finished at international level, but he has reinvented himself and he is bowling well,” said the 50-year-old.
“Shami bowls good pace and is deceptive in the pace he bowls, he can move the ball around and is very experienced, just knows the game so well.
“Jasprit is unique with the way he goes about short run up, powers through the crease, can swing the ball, good control and good pace (in) second third spells. And then on top of that the other quicks and spinners.”
McGrath also backed Day-Night Tests and said it is the way forward to bring back crowds to the stands.
“I am a big fan of Test cricket. To me, Test cricket is still the ultimate and we got to keep the game fresh, people enjoying it. T20 has taken the world by storm, it is bringing a lot more people to cricket and that is brilliant and hopefully that will filter into Test cricket,” McGrath said.
“We have got to keep Test cricket alive and moving forward and positive and people coming to the game. And to me, the way to that is Day-Night Test cricket. I am a big fan of it.”
He said he is not a fan of four-day Tests which has been proposed by the ICC.
“I’m not a big fan of four-day Test cricket. I’m very much a traditionalist — five days — that’s Test cricket to me.”
India have agreed to play a Pink Ball test in Australia.
“They (India) will find tough to adjust. Australia has lot more experience and have played quite a number of Day-Night tests now and that will be in their favour and home ground advantage too. Indian team is a quality team. They are experienced and Virat is a quality captain, they will be up for the challenge,” McGrath said on India’s challenge Down Under.