Mumbai: Retired Australian pacer Brett Lee is of the opinion that one of the key factors for India to defend their title successfully in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup will be to ensure their fast bowlers retain fitness.
The 38-year-old Lee, who was part of the triumphant 2003 Australia World Cup squad led by Ricky Ponting and also played in the 2011 edition won by India, singled out Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav as the men who should take the lead role in the Indian attack.
Lee was talking to reporters in Mumbai via a teleconference from Sydney after the launch of Disney India's official digital game for the Cup - ICC Pro Cricket 2015.
"I think what India needs to do is ensure that the fast bowlers are fully fit. Ishant Sharma, to me, could be a bowler that could play a huge role along with someone like Yadav, who was rested for the recent match in Perth. Now whether he was injured or whether he was pre-rested to be ready for this world cup campaign... The need of the hour for India is pace," said Lee.
"Out here, they need quick bowlers who can bowl good bouncers and have a good slower delivery in their armoury along with the skills to bowl during the death overs. What I mean by bowl at the death is to be able to deliver fast 145 km yorkers that can knockout a team at the death.
"This is because they are not playing on wickets like those in India that are dusty and the ball turns and swings. Here, they would be playing on wickets that are conducive to fast bowling in Australia and so they need good, young fast bowlers," said the Lee, who took 380 wickets in ODIs.
Lee refused to predict which team would clinch the Cup on March 29, the date of the summit clash, saying that the complete team in the mega event would hold aloft the coveted trophy. The tournament starts on February 14.
"I've said it all along that the World Cup and the team that will win the trophy on March 29th will be the most complete team. So that doesn't mean on papers they are the best cricket nation, it doesn't even mean that that every player is a superstar in that team. What it means is that the team, which over the course of the seven weeks of World Cup, plays the best cricket on every particular match day is the champion.
"So, if you have a bad aim or an off day/week or through lack of form or injury woes, any team can take the World Cup away from you. I think Australia has a great chance of winning the World Cup just like India, South Africa and New Zealand," said the former cricketer.
