India’s pace attack might have been lauded by all quarters after their showing in the Test series against England but S Sreesanth believes that the performance has been greatly overhyped.
Despite India going down by 4-1 in the five-match series, the pace battery comprising of Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami came in for some praise for their commendable showing.
However, Sreesanth disagrees with that notion and believes that the fast-bowlers could have done much better. The former India pacer was part of the squad which last won a Test series on English soil in 2007 and feels that the current attack has failed to live up to expectations.
“I did follow the England series. I must say I was very disappointed with the bowling. The last series win was in 2007 which I was part of. I, RP Singh and Zaheer Khan were there. We saved a Test in Lord’s,” the 35-year-old told the Mumbai Mirror.
Sreesanth feels Ishant Sharma could have done better.
Ishant ended up as the second highest wicket-taker in the series after England’s James Anderson with 18 scalps to his name and has earned rave reviews for his ‘coming of age’ performance. Sreesanth though, is not convinced by the Delhi-born pacer’s display and believes he has underperformed by his standards.
“I am not trying to say the 2007 attack was better. But Ishant has been the most experienced bowler and he should have finished with 25 wickets, not 18. I am not saying five wickets in an innings. But five wickets in a Test was needed, like two-plus three wickets in each innings,” he explained.
Sreesanth had been slapped with a life ban by the BCCI for his alleged role in the spot-fixing scandal while playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the 2013 edition of the IPL.