Mohammed Shami in action for the Indian cricket team in Cricket World Cup 2023© AFP
Mohammed Shami has been enjoying a brilliant run of form in the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2023 and the Indian cricket team fast bowler was instrumental in his team’s 100-run victory over defending champions England in Lucknow on Sunday. Shami took four wickets to break the English resistance after India posted a modest total of 229 on a pitch that had a lot of help for pacers. Legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar was all praise for Shami as he pointed out that he is extremely clear about the kind of deliveries that he wants to bowl in specific situations and even namedropped World Cup winning all-rounder Kapil Dev.
“There is a lot of hard work there. When he goes back home, he has got several pitches made apparently, and he just bowls and bowls over there. That is what is important. He is looking at his personal cricketing fitness. What is his specialty? It’s fast bowling. By bowling a number of overs in the nets where he stays. I don’t know whether he is a gym person. You can be doing gym all day. But at the end of the day… Mohammed Shami is doing exactly what Kapil Dev used to do, just bowl and bowl in the nets,” Gavaskar told India Today.
“He is not listening to all your bio-mechanic experts who might say ‘oh no, no bowl only 15-20 deliveries in the nets’. He knows that as a fast bowler, he really needs a lot more mileage in his legs as he runs in to bowl,” he added.
Shami did not feature in the first four matches of the competition for the Indian cricket team but since his inclusion, the fast bowler has set the stage on fire. He took a five-wicket haul against New Zealand and followed it up with an equally impressive show against England.
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