Senior India speedster Mohammed Shami rates the current pace attack as the best in country’s Test cricket history.
India’s fast-bowling core group in Tests consists of Shami, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar that has been very consistent in the past two years.
Watch: Ian Bishop on why India’s current bowling unit reminds him of West Indies’ legendary attack
The Bengal bowler said the depth in India’s pace attack is unprecedented in and considered the current unit, of which he is a vital part, as probably the best in the world.
“No team has ever had five fast bowlers together as a package,” Shami told former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta in a chat for ESPN Cricinfo.
“Not just now, in the history of cricket, this might be the best fast-bowling unit in the world. We even have bowlers in the reserves who can bowl 145 kms.”
“This is the best attack as no one has any jealousy and everyone enjoys each other’s success. It feels like a family,” said Shami.
“If we are bowling first, we are together. And when we are not getting wickets we are still in it together. There is nothing bigger in a unit than being able to enjoy each other’s success.”
He gave example of Ishant Sharma, the senior-most player in the Test line-up.
“Look at Ishant Sharma. He is set to play 100 Tests. It’s not a mean achievement but if you speak to him you will know what kind of a human being he is. He is so down to earth.”
Upping the ante in second innings
Shami has an uncanny ability to up the ante late in the game when everyone else is tired and the Indian pacer feels this is what makes him more successful in the second innings when it comes to Test cricket.
Shami has enjoyed stupendous success in the second innings of five-day games. Out of his 180 Test wickets, 92 have come in the first innings at 32.50 but there are 88 in the second innings that have come at an impressive average of 21.98.
“I use the game very smartly in the second innings. Like in the recent match we played in Vizag [against South Africa] where I got a five-for, the pitch was pretty dead and wasn’t offering any bounce,” the 29-year-old said.
During the 2017-’18 tour of South Africa, 12 of his 15 wickets came in the second innings.
“...you need to use the available conditions smartly. I am usually pumped up in the second innings when everyone else is tired.
“Everyone has spent three days on the field. Diesel engines take time to pick up compared to petrol ones. I wait patiently for everyone to tire out. You have five days in a Test match. Once everyone is tired, I step up,” he said.
Shami also revealed that skipper Virat Kohli leaves it on his pacers to decide which one of them gets to bowl with the new ball.
“We surround Virat Kohli and ask him to make the decision. But he normally says, ‘don’t get me involved in all this; you decide among yourselves, I don’t have an issue’,” he said.
“That is the kind of fun we have in our team meetings. I let the other two start. I have no objection to bowling with a semi-new ball.”
Shami has been pretty successful since his return from a knee injury. He has competed in 27 of India’s 30 Tests since July 2017 and has done well on tours of South Africa and Australia.
He has had a tendency to pick up his wickets in bursts, which the veteran attributed to an effective strategy.
“If the batsman is set and we haven’t been able to pick up a lot of wickets, we try to bowl a tight line and length by dropping our pace,” he said.
“As soon as we get a wicket, you increase your pace by about 8kph. This difference in speed is pretty visible. If the bowler was bowling at around 140kph earlier, after picking up a wicket he gets his rhythm back, picks up the pace and the same ball is now delivered at 145kph.
“Once the set batsman is dismissed, I go for the kill as a bowler. That’s why it seems like I bowl in two different ways. The ‘second-innings Shami’ label - that has been created by you guys [the media].”
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(with PTI inputs)
