‘Indian pacers ready for foreign tours’

Australian fast bowling great Glenn McGrath is highly impressed with Indian pacers' performance during the Test series in South Africa and backed them to maintain the momentum in the upcoming tours of England and Australia.

Indian pacers bowled their heart out in the series which the visitors lost 1-2.

"They say you can't win Test matches consistently if you can't take 20 wickets. The bowlers India have at the moment are looking good, especially (Bhuvneshwar) Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah as well as the spinners," McGrath, who is Director of Coaching at MRF Pace Foundation, told reporters here.

He also said apart from the three pacers (Bhuvneshwar, Shami and Bumrah), Hardik Pandya was also doing a good job.

"Obviously Pandya is doing his job as well. There is no shortage of bowlers. So things are looking good for India at the moment," he added.

McGrath also heaped praise on U-19 star Kamlesh Nagarkoti, who attracted a lot of attention with his left-arm pace in the World Cup in New Zealand. It helped him bag a lucrative deal with KKR for the upcoming IPL.

"He has got some good real pace. I was impressed (with his performance) in the U-19 WC. He has got selected for KKR which is another bonus for him. I think he has got a bright career in front of him.

"For someone so young he is able to generate high speeds which will put stress on his body. As long as he looks after his body and concentrate on what he wants to do, he will get the results. He can't get lazy. It's tough to get to the top but it's tougher to stay there," the legendary paceman, who finished with 563 wickets from 124 Tests, said.

McGrath, who took over as director of coaching at the famed MRF Pace Foundation from compatriot Dennis Lillee, said he was delighted to see several of the academy's trainees doing well and earning IPL contracts.