India, Aug. 11 -- Not too long ago, India bragged of an enviable fast bowling set-up. The five-prong pace-attack comprising Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj had even surpassed the Australian trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood as the most dominating fast-bowling arsenal seen in world cricket since the legendary West Indian quartet from the 1980s. Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri's plan was simple yet straightforward. To make picking 20 wickets a norm for India in Test matches, home or abroad.

But ever since Kohli stepped down as India's Test captain and Bharat Arun called time on his tenure as bowling coach, despite the promise shown by bowlers, Indian pace bowling lacks depth, ...