'You look at Australia, England series, we have done exceptionally': Pujara lists India's huge strength ahead of SA Tour

IND vs SA: Ahead of the all-important Test series against South Africa, India's Test mainstay Cheteshwar Pujara has explained a major strength of the team citing the Australia and England tours.

Team India's bowling pace battery has been massively impressive in Test cricket over the course of the last couple of years, especially in the last 12-15 months. Be it the tour of Australia, where India won 2-1, or the tour of England, which India leads 2-1 as of now, the fast bowling unit has more of than not been successful in bowling the opposition out. Cheteshwar Pujara, ahead of the South Africa Test series, believes that the seamers will come good once again.

'You look at Australia, England series, we have done exceptionally': Cheteshwar Pujara lists India's huge strength ahead of IND vs SA Tour (GETTY IMAGES)

The Indian team has already started its skills training with all the premier batters having a quality net session on Saturday.

"Our fast bowlers are our strength and I hope that they will be able to utilise these conditions and give us 20 wickets in every Test match. They have been the difference between the two sides whenever we have played abroad," Pujara told local media.

"If you look at the Australia series, even if you look at the England series, we have done exceptionally well as a bowling unit and I am sure that will be the case even in South Africa," said the veteran of 92 Tests and 6589 runs.

The pacers have played a key role in India's success in abroad series in recent past.

There aren't any practice games due to the cramped schedule and the scare of new Covid-19 variant Omicron has already led to the tour being shortened and the four T20 matches being postponed for a later date.

"The good thing is we played a couple of Test matches in India," Pujara said.

"So most of the guys are in touch, and when it comes to preparation, the support staff has been excellent. They have been supporting us well and we have five or six days more before we head into the first Test," he added, referring to head coach Rahul Dravid and his team.

India arrived in the Rainbow Nation on December 16 and Pujara believes that 10 days is good enough time to get ready for the Boxing Day Test at the Centurion.

"I am sure there is enough time for us to prepare and guys are looking forward to this series. This is the best opportunity for us to win our first series in South Africa. So all of us are looking forward to it."

(With agency inputs)