‘This is the best Indian team ever’ – Clive Lloyd hails Team India for being a more professional and fitter unit

Clive Lloyd, the former West Indies skipper, reckons that the current Indian team has variety because of which it has tasted success across all three formats. Recently, Virat Kohli and Co won the Test and T20I series against England after losing the first game of both series. They are also leading the three-match ODI series 1-0 after winning the first game by 66 runs.

Lloyd, the 1975 and 1979 World Cup-winning skipper, said that the present Indian team is more professional and its players are fitter than the previous generations. The 76-year-old also lauded India for making a comeback in Australia despite losing the opening Test and going through a number of injury concerns.

“They are a much better side because they have variety, the players are fitter and more professional… Yeah, I would think so… Don’t forget they came from behind most times in Australia and that was excellent. Judging by their performances from that series you can say that this is the best Indian team ever,” Lloyd was quoted as saying to The Telegraph.

Clive Lloyd praises Jasprit Bumrah

Lloyd, who had a 19-year long international career from 1966 to 1985, had words of praises for Jasprit Bumrah. The 76-year-old feels that Bumrah’s ability to bowl Yorkers, bouncers, and slower balls, has helped India make inroads into the opposition batting.

“He’s (Bumrah) thinking all the time and can surprise you any time. He can bowl the vicious bouncer, he can get the ball to swing around, he bowls the slower ones. That is why India are where they are at the moment. He can provide breakthroughs at a time when the side is struggling,” he added.

Bumrah, recently, played two Tests against England after which he took a break due to ‘personal reasons’. In the meantime, while being away from cricket, he tied the knots with sports presenter Sanjana Ganesan.

Bumrah is now set to return in the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL) while playing for the Mumbai Indians (MI), led by Rohit Sharma. As far as Team India is concerned, their second ODI against England is on March 26 at the MCA Stadium in Pune.