Virat Kohli "Fortunate" To Have Current Lot Of Fast Bowlers, Says Gautam Gambhir

Virat Kohli led India to a 31-run win in the first Test in Adelaide last week, their first Test triumph Down Under in 10 years. This was India's first-ever victory in the opening match of a Test series in Australia. Currently, leading the four-Test series 1-0, India are playing the second Test against Australia in Perth. Former India opener Gautam Gambhir, who recently retired from all forms of the game, credited the fast bowlers for India's current overseas success adding that Indian captain Virat Kohli is "fortunate" to have such an impeccable pace attack. 

According to Gambhir, India have the best chance to win a Test series Down Under as the opposition lack batting strength while India have their bowling attack.

"Their (Australia's) two best batsmen are not there. It's a massive advantage for India. Plus, India have a bowling attack as well. Australia don't have a batting line-up and India have got the bowling attack to take 20 wickets," Gambhir told NDTV in an interview.

"Virat Kohli has been very fortunate. A big credit goes to Virat Kohli for identifying these kind of bowlers as well," he added.

Australia are missing their leading batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner due to one-year bans that they were given by Cricket Australia for their involvement in ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March this year.

Facing a mediocre batting line-up, Indian bowlers have shown promising skills in pace-friendly conditions. 

In the first Test in Adelaide, India bowled out the hosts for 235 and 291 in successive innings. 

Jasprit Bumrah was the wrecker-in-chief in India's historic win as he claimed three wickets each in two innings. Mohammed Shami claimed five wickets, while Ishant Sharma chipped in with three wickets at the Adelaide Oval.

Praising the abilities of the pace unit, comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav, Gambhir compared the current lot to the bowlers in his time. 

"Not many a times India have toured abroad and we have had the bowling attack to take 20 wickets. We were always dependent on one or two bowlers. But if you see this kind of line up, I think people contribute together to take 20 wickets," he said. 

Gambhir, who has scored more than 10,000 international runs for India, was full of praise for skipper Kohli.

"You've to give him the credit. He's tuck to these kind of players. He has identified these four or five bowlers who probably complete the bowling attack," Gambhir added. 

(With Inputs From Rica Roy)

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Virat Kohli Jasprit Bumrah Gautam Gambhir Australia vs India 2018/19 Cricket