Allan Donald is highly impressed with the way the fast bowlers bowled in the just-concluded Test series. While the South African fast bowling legend has rich praise for Dale Steyn and Zaheer Khan, he felt Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma need to tie up a few loose ends to make a better impression at this level. Here's his take.
Dale Steyn: He's just fantastic and is going to smash all records. If he stays fit and healthy, he's going to pick up 500-odd Test wickets. He's got a better strike rate than any other bowler ever had. He's the (Jacques) Kallis in the bowling department for South Africa. He's for sure going to become the greatest-ever fast bowler for South Africa and potentially the greatest ever bowler to have ever graced the cricket field. If he stays fit and healthy, he's going to become an absolute legend.
Zaheer Khan: He's not a youngster anymore, he is carrying few tired bones and legs. He's the one who keeps this attack together. He's a very skilful and has proved that you don't have to bowl 145 kmph to be a world-class bowler. He bowls just around 125 to 130 but controls the ball so well, and is very accurate. He always asks question of the batsmen. Whenever he is there, every other bowler bowls so well around him.
Sreesanth: He's a character, but he lets himself down a bit. He's passionate and steamy at times, and that's where he needs to watch out. He's a wonderful kid off the field and gives it his all, but sometimes he needs to take his step back. We spoke about it in Birmingham when he played for us at Worcestershire and he knows it. But sometimes emotions get too big for him and that's where I would like to see senior players put their arm around him and make him calm down. He's a class act, a very good bowler, but needs to control himself.
{{/usCountry}}Sreesanth: He's a character, but he lets himself down a bit. He's passionate and steamy at times, and that's where he needs to watch out. He's a wonderful kid off the field and gives it his all, but sometimes he needs to take his step back. We spoke about it in Birmingham when he played for us at Worcestershire and he knows it. But sometimes emotions get too big for him and that's where I would like to see senior players put their arm around him and make him calm down. He's a class act, a very good bowler, but needs to control himself.
{{/usCountry}}Ishant Sharma: He was disappointing. He didn't look up to the mark on these wickets. The problem with him is that he has been labelled too early, and that has probably put a lot of pressure on his shoulders to perform every single time he goes out to bowl. Maybe he feels too much pressure, but there's no easy way out in Test cricket. I think India is yet to see the best of him and I think he will get his things together in the time to come.