India's best Test XI for overseas conditions

Fast bowlers - Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami

Ishant Sharma

India can be proud of developing a bowling group that is versatile and deadly at the same time. An Indian Test cricket fan can proudly say that India now has developed five wicket-taking fast bowlers who will deliver in all conditions.

Ishant Sharma has finally come off age and has emerged as the leader of the attack. He hits the pitch hard and generates steep movement. A 90-Test veteran, Ishant has become more consistent with his bowling and builds pressure on the batsmen by bowling tight lines. He bowls at 140 kph and is quite adept with the old ball in generating swing in the air and movement of the pitch. Sharma has a natural in-swinger and bowls away swinger which straightens from middle and off.

Mohammed Shami burst into the scene as a tearaway quick and showed immense talent in his very first Test match against West Indies in 2013. He bowls over 140 kph and is very adept with the old ball if there is reverse swing on offer. Shami has delivered when India needs him the most. Shami is the ideal third seamer who can bowl first change. If Shami gets his radar right, he can be hostile and will run through the opposition with disconcerting ease as we got to see in Johannesburg and Perth.

Jasprit Bumrah is a brilliant bowler who can change lengths at will and has superb variations. Sanjay Manjrekar keeps mentioning that Bumrah is the bowling equivalent of a 360-degree batsman. Bumrah has improved with every game that he has played and bowled with pace and hostility. Bumrah made giant strides in South Africa and consolidated his position in England. However, he has come off age in the Australian tour and shown great temperament and match-awareness.