I would love to see Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami play in the County County Championship, says Ravi Shastri

PTI

New Delhi: The current Indian squad has the ability to become world beaters, is what head coach Ravi Shastri reckons. But what could probably serve as a hindrance to their path of successive dominance, as per analysts are – South Africa and England. But Shastri feels that with the experince that two Indians, batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin are gaining from the ongoing county championship at England, it could prove to be worthy enough for the Indian Squad that would head England early next year.

It wasn't a pleasant tour of England when the Men in Blue last played an almost two-month long series. While they were crumbled down to a 3-1 defeat in the Test series, Team India bounced back with an equal result in the five-match ODI series. England however bid adieu to the Men in Blue with a narrow three-run win on the one-off T20 encounter.

Shrugging off the past, India are currently on a winning spree. After a splendid home series victory over five nations, a successful run to the finals of the ICC Champions Trophy and finally thumping dwon West Indies and then Sri Lanka, the team have been dominating almost all cricketing charts. But analysts feels that Virat Kohli's side haven't yet undergone a true test. Only if the Men Blue can survive conditions in England and South Africa, can they counted among the best in the world 0 is what analysts reckon.

And with few Indian players taking part in the ongoing County Championship in England, Shastri feels that their experince and observations about the English track and conditions can prove to be worthy enough for the Indian squad that woyuld travel for a Test series next summer.

Pujara had signed for Nottinghamshire ahead of Sri Lanka series. He had scored 233 runs in five innings which also included a ravishing ton, Pujara had credited his County stint for incredible cricketing display in the Test series against the Islanders. Ashwin, last month, became the second Indian from the present squad to join County. Marking a debut for Worcestershire, the offie has already scalped his first five-wicket haul on English soil, this week. And now Shastri confirmed that Ishant Sharma will be playing for Kent.

"I am all for that. Pujara, Ashwin and now Ishant is also going, I think he is joining Kent. These are vital and key players in our team. The more players go, the merrier. I would like to see a couple more of fast bowlers going there," said Shastri.

But the newly elected head coach feels that more and more fast bowlers should participate in the County circuit, to get accustomed to English condition ahead of their tour next year.

"Zaheer Khan went there for a couple seasons to Worcestershire and he was a changed bowler. So I would love to see Umesh Yadav or Mohammed Shami going there, even if for short periods," he.

"And why just the bowlers, the batsmen should go too. If they want to before the tour, be it Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma or others, I am all for it," he concluded.

The Indian team is slated to play five Tests, five ODIs and a T20I in England starting June 2018.