Mohammed Shami reflects on need for fitness following India’s series whitewash over Bangladesh
Undoubtedly, it has been India’s pace department that has held the fans’ heads high in recent times in the longer format. As Virat Kohli & Co. have been on a roll in the purest format ever since the ICC Test Championship kicked off, much credit for their success goes to the pace quartet: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.
While they were delivering ever prior to the championship, the pacers have now easily gone past the spinners in conditions that may favour the latter more than the speedsters. With Bumrah being out of action since the Windies tour due to injury, Shami has been the star pacer along with ample support from Ishant and Umesh. At times, he has complemented the other two; resulting in proper coordination among the troika.
Nonetheless, it would be safe to say that the 29-year-old Shami is on a roll. He is bowling with adequate pace, hitting the right lengths consistently and extracting seam and movement at regular intervals. Much credit for his purple patch goes to his fitness, and the pacer acknowledges this as well. In a recent interaction, Shami opened up on the need for being fit and his equation with Ishant and Umesh.
“I am in the best physical shape I have ever been. Pehle itna jante nahi the, pata nahi tha ki kya karna hai. (Earlier I didn’t know much; didn’t know what I needed to do). With time I have learned what all I need to do to stay fit. I have stopped eating biryani, which I love to eat. Yes, I had a little biryani the day before in the dressing room but that was just for the taste. When you come to Kolkata, it is impossible to stay off it completely! But, honestly speaking, I have given up on all my indulgences. I feel much better and I know to do what I do for my team I have to make a few sacrifices. The love and affection I get from Indian cricket fans more than make up for it,” responded Shami.
In the just-concluded Kolkata Test, Shami was overshadowed with Umesh and Ishant both picking a nine-for in the match. However, Shami believes he had a different role to play and tried to back his partners. “Umesh (Yadav) and Ishant (Sharma) picked up the bulk of the wickets. And some have asked me why was I bowling short on Day 2. My job was to bowl fast and bowl short and push the batsmen back. I was setting them up and Umesh and Ishant were picking up wickets from the other end. That’s what I mean by working as a team. In Indore I had picked up wickets while here in Kolkata it was Umesh and Ishant.”
India won their first-ever day-night, versus Bangladesh, by an innings and 46 runs to complete 2019 without a single defeat in Tests. Their next assignment is a three-match T20I and ODI series versus West Indies. In addition, their next Test series is against New Zealand in their own backyard in early 2020.
