Umesh Yadav has snared 10 wickets in India's final Test before they head to Australia, where Virat Kohli knows he will need an arsenal of fit-and-firing pacemen to make history.
India have never won a Test series in Australia.
This summer's four-match series is arguably their best chance to stop that streak, with Australia's batting order weakened by Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft's bans.
The world's top-ranked Test side cruised to a 10-wicket win over West Indies in Hyderabad, completing a 2-0 series win with minimal fuss on the third day.
Yadav earned man-of-the-match honours, having stepped up superbly after fellow paceman Shardul Thakur suffered a groin strain during the match.
Kohli, preparing for his third Test tour of Australia, knows the difference between success and failure could well be the squad's fast-bowling depth.
The fiery captain is also acutely aware that his quicks won't receive as much assistance as they did earlier this year in England.
"Four Tests in Australia can be brutal because the ball doesn't do much," Kohli told reporters.
"You have to come in and run in all day, bowl in the right areas, with pace.
"Umesh is right up there, to be featuring in Australia, because he's got the pace. He's got the fitness levels to run in all day, to pick up wickets at crucial times and he gets good bounce as well.
"He's a very, very talented bowler. He can bowl you unplayable deliveries ... he's come a long way and he understands his bowling really well."
Veterans Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma, swing specialist Bhuvneshwar Kumar and youngster Jasprit Bumrah headline the other pacemen in the mix to spearhead the attack on December 6, when the Border-Gavaskar series starts in Adelaide.
"It's a great sign to have four guys bowling so well," Kohli said.
"Bowling is something we need to keep as a major strength in order for us to feel like we have a chance to win a series when we travel."
Kohli also heaped praise on 18-year-old opening batsman Prithvi Shaw.
"I don't think any of us were even 10 per cent of what he is at (age) 18-19," he said.
India will play a series of limited-overs matches against the West Indies at home before travelling to Australia.
Share
