FAST & FURIOUS

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 17

South Africa’s Dale Steyn, probably the greatest fast bowler of recent times, says Mohammed Shami is the best bowler in the world, “based on current form”. Sunil Gavaskar, going a bit overboard, says Shami in full flow in his run-up is “almost like a leopard going for a kill”. Shami’s bowling partner Ishant Sharma wonders how Shami manages to get wickets with full deliveries, short deliveries all the time.

Shami has had a terrific year so far — he’s picked up 31 wickets in seven Tests at a stunning average of 15.22. Among all bowlers who have taken over 20 Test wickets this year, Shami has the best average — the next is West Indian Kemar Roach, averaging 16.66 for 27 wickets in five Tests, followed by Pat Cummins of Australia, who averages 18.11 for 43 wickets in eight Tests. Shami’s strike rate is second-best with bowlers over 20 wickets — he takes a wicket every 34 balls, which is only one ball behind Duanne Olivier of South Africa.

It is remarkable that Shami has numbers better than bowlers from Australia, England and New Zealand, who have more conducive conditions for fast bowling. Shami has taken 20 wickets in four Tests at home this year, with a strike rate — a wicket every 31.1 balls — that is better than the strike rate of bowlers from England or Australia.

Multi-skilled

Despite India not having great conditions for fast bowlers, Shami’s skills have made him a potent force at home. He has the ability to swing the new ball and the old ball, can bowl wicket to wicket like a machine, and can surprise with short deliveries that rise alarmingly towards the batsmen’s eyes.

Shami has the support of two quality pacemen in Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma — the three took 14 Bangladesh wickets in Indore. More creditably, India outbowled the South Africans in their Test series recently, that too without Jasprit Bumrah, India’s best paceman.

India’s pacers average 15.82 this year, which is easily the best among all Test-playing nations — the average for Aussie pacers is 22.88, for England’s is 25.37. Again, better numbers than Aussie or England pacemen is a remarkable achievement.

Biryani ka kamaal

“The biggest thing is that I’m bowling with you guys,” Shami told Ishant and Yadav after the win in Indore. “I don’t even need to think too much. I just need to focus on the one thing you need to do in Tests: Put it in a good area. I do just that and you guys make it much easier for me, so there’s no pressure on me.”

To this, Ishant responded in jest: “We have asked you something else, you’re giving a different answer! We are saying that the areas you’re bowling in, we’re bowling in them too. But when you hit the pads it’s in line with the stumps, and when we hit the pads, it’s missing the stumps. Why does this happen?”

“Well, people say it’s biryani ka kamaal,” Shami joked. “No, it doesn’t happen like that, of course. It’s just luck and god’s grace. One thing is that the line and length I’m focusing on is being executed. I’m getting success from that so I try to repeat that.” That’s exactly what Virat Kohli is hoping for.

Kohli, Rohit and pace trio skip training

Indore: Skipper Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and the much-vaunted pace trio skipped training while some of the remaining team members practised under lights on the centre wicket of Holkar Stadium, gearing up for India’s first Day/Night Test. Besides Kohli and Rohit, the trio of Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav were also given a break. Also giving the training a miss were Mayank Agarwal and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. Cheteshwar Pujara, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill and Kuldeep Yadav trained under lights. The support staff, comprising head coach Ravi Shastri, batting coach Vikram Rathour and fielding coach R Sridhar, were present at the stadium as the seven players went about their paces. The India and Bangladesh teams will leave for Kolkata on November 19 and train at the Eden Gardens for the second Test, which begins on November 22. — PTI 

Shami on top

15.22  Is Shami’s bowling average for the year, the best in the world among pace bowlers with at least 20 wickets

31.1  Is Shami’s strike rate at home this year — ie, a wicket every 31.1 balls. This is the best in the world for pace bowlers at home, with at least 20 wickets

31  Wickets taken by Shami in seven Tests this year, which is third-best in the year, behind Pat Cummins (43) and Stuart Broad (34)