You don't lose form overnight, Indian bowling attack is still world class: McGrath

Mumbai: Former Australian pacer Glenn McGrath on Wednesday reposed his faith on the Indian bowling unit, saying it remains a “world-class” attack despite India’s 10-wicket loss in the opening Test against New Zealand.

While Ishant Sharma returned with a five-wicket haul, his pace colleagues Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami managed just one wicket each as New Zealand posted a match-deciding first-innings score of 348 despite being 216 for six at one stage in the Wellington Test.

“I still have total faith in the Indian (bowling) lineup. They had a few injuries off late. Sharma is coming back and he did get five wickets. Bumrah had a couple of injuries and he is coming back. So, yeah, I think the Indian bowling attack is world-class and there is no doubt about that,” McGrath told reporters here.

“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 praised Ishant for “reinventing” himself and also lauded Shami and Bumrah.

“Ishant has a lot of experience, the way he’s a comeback in the last couple years, it been impressive. I thought his career might have been finished at the international level, but he has reinvented himself and he is bowling well,” said the 50-year-old, who was in the city for a Tourism Australia event.

“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 its 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 spinner,” he added.