Bhuvi will be a key player in South Africa, feels Simon Doull

11/20/2017

Former New Zealand player Simon Doull believes that Bhuvaneshwar Kumar has all the qualities that can help him during India’s tour of South Africa next year. He has also praised the 'outstanding' Mohammad Shami and claimed that India have two world-class Test bowlers in the form of them.

Bhuvneshwar has played 19 Tests and 78 ODIs for India so far, in which he has claimed 53 and 85 wickets respectively. He has become an integral part of the Indian cricket team over the past one year and Doull is of the opinion that the Uttar Pradesh cricketer will be a lethal force in South Africa early next year.

“I think Bhuvi is as good as others in the world at the moment. He has upped his pace, he swings and seams. He can get wickets even on good wickets. He is a line and length bowler, that’s his trade. Bhuvi will be very important in South Africa,” Doull told reporters on the sidelines of the India-Sri Lanka opening Test as quoted by PTI.

India will visit South Africa for a two-month long tour where they will play three Tests, six ODIs, and three T20Is. The first match of the series will be starting on January 7 in Cape Town.

Praising Shami, the cricketer-turned-commentator has issued a warning to Umesh Yadav stating that he needs to work more on his bowling especially with the likes of Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah waiting for their turn to replace him in the Test squad.

“Shami is also an outstanding bowler. They have two world-class bowlers in Bhuvi and Shami. But Yadav is a little below that standard at the moment. He needs to work on a couple things to be more consistent. In modern game, a genuine pacer now bowls at 150 kmph,” the 48-year-old said.

“He is a great exponent with old ball and when conditions don’t favour him he may be fighting for a spot maybe with Ishant or the next seamer who could be Bumrah, who knows he might go on to play a Test.”

Doull also suggested that line and length will be more important in the series as kookaburra’s seam will go soft after the first hour unlike the SG Test that is used in India or the Dukes in England.

“Kookaburra is vastly different from what you have in England and India. It will swing a little more, but seam goes soft. They have to find a way to bowl line and length.”

Doull also talked about the team and claimed that the team doesn’t need a fourth seamer in the playing XI.

“The bounce helps spinners as well and my preference is always to pick your best bowlers. If they are spinners, so be it. No point picking a fourth seamer for the heck of it. When you have two quality spinners, they can do the job for you. I am always in favour of picking your best bowlers,” he concluded.

Bhuvi will be a key player in South Africa, feels Simon Doull

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