Brett Lee heaped praise on Prasidh Krishna and Navdeep Saini
Former Australia speedster Brett Lee Monday heaped praise on death overs specialist Jasprit Bumrah as well as lanky speedsters, Prasidh Krishna and Navdeep Saini.
Prasidh has only bagged two wickets so far in the ongoing IPL for the Kolkata Knight Riders, but Lee said he was impressed with his and Saini's pace.
Saini has grabbed four wickets representing the Royal Challengers Bangalore, while India pace spearhead has snapped up eight wickets wearing the colours of Mumbai Indians in IPL.
Delhi pacer Saini had also been named as one of the four pacers who will assist the Indian team in their World Cup preparation as net bowlers.
"The are many. Jasprit Bumrah, to me, has been a class act. He has got good pace and different action. Prasidh Krishna - he has been bowling at 145k or thereabouts in this IPL", Lee said when asked for his views on the fast Indian men who had impressed him the most this IPL season.
"Then Navdeep Saini - he is another promising fast bowler coming through. The pleasing thing about the current Indian fast bowlers is that they have got good pace," noted Lee.
The 42-year-old former pacer was present at an event to announce a Mumbai-specific tie-up between real estate developers Runwal Group and Cricket Australia.
Lee, who grabbed 380 wickets in 221 One Dayers and was one of the best fast bowlers of his time, said that it was pleasing to see Indian bowlers touching the 145K mark on the speed gun.
"As media commentators, now that we are into your side of the fence, we fell into a trap by saying that 130k or 135k is good pace. We all now know that 130k or 135k is not good pace. I would say it's slow or medium pace," Lee remarked.
"What is good pace is over 145k. And finally we have seen some Indian bowlers touching that 145k barrier. This should be exciting for Indian cricket. If you can bowl 135k doing it both ways, you are a different style of bowler. I am talking about pure fast bowling.
"They (Prasidh and Saini) have nice actions. Our idea (through the tie-up) is to take a young fast bowler with a nice action, hone his skills and make him a faster bowler.
"I do believe that these bowlers can go quicker by fine-tuning their approach, their action and follow through, he elaborated.
"Everyone, that I have seen throughout this Indian Premier League, is really good. Certainly, the fast bowlers have impressed me, Prasidh Krishna, I think he has got it. (Navdeep) Saini is another guy who's got it.
"I think India is in pretty good hands at the moment and I reckon the chance will be very very good (in the World Cup) because they have got a good bowling attack," Lee said in an indirect reference to the upcoming World Cup.
