Ashish Nehra on Tuesday hailed Javagal Srinath for coming back from retirement to revitalise India's World Cup pace attack.
"Sri's return has really helped me and Zaheer (Khan)," the left-arm seamer said, a day after Srinath sealed a 183-run Super Six victory over Sri Lanka.
The 33-year-old Srinath captured four of the first five Sri Lankan wickets at The Wanderers.
Nehra finished with identical figures of four for 35 while fellow left-armer Zaheer Khan took two for 33 as the three quicks shared out the wickets in 23 overs.
Sri is always giving us his experience. Especially here, he has stressed the importance of good line and length," the 23-year-old said.
"The wickets are bouncy in South Africa and we have shown discipline."
Srinath, playing in his fourth World Cup, has 226 one-day appearances compared to the 100 shared by Nehra and Khan.
The trio have taken 37 of India's 61 wickets to win seven of their eight games, the last six on the trot. Srinath has 14, Nehra 12 and Khan 11.
Nehra produced one of the great World Cup spells against England, capturing six for 23.
"Zaheer and I have been bowling well in the last year," Nehra said. "But we missed him during last year's England and New Zealand Test series."
India drew 1-1 in England 1-1 but lost 2-0 on seaming pitches in New Zealand.
The trio came together in South Africa after India's nine-wicket drubbing against Australia in their second World Cup game. The team management decided to play only one spinner to make room for them all.
Nehra said: "Whatever we have planned so far has worked.
"Sri is concentrating on line and length and Zaheer on movement, which he wasn't doing so well six months back."
Nehra said the new ball pair had regularly taken early wickets to set things up for him as first change.
"Against Sri Lanka, they reduced them to five for 40. It was my job to come and finish them off."
Nehra said the new fitness regime of their South African physical trainer Adrian Le Roux had made a huge difference.
"These days I am bowling much faster," he said.
Srinath, who has spearheaded the attack since Kapil Dev's retirement in 1994, feels the Indian fast bowlers are enjoying one of their best periods.
"It looks like we have the best fast bowling combination in a long while," he said after his man-of-the-match performance on Monday.
"It's good that three fast bowlers have cemented their place. We are all doing the right things on helpful pitches."
