Dubai: India’s pace spearhead Mohammed Shami believes that playing all their ICC Champions Trophy matches at one venue in Dubai has given the team a crucial advantage in adapting to the conditions and pitch behaviour.
“It has definitely helped us because we know the conditions and the behaviour of the pitch. It is a plus point that you are playing all the matches at one venue. The main thing is to gauge the conditions and know how the pitch behaves because you are playing at one venue and you can get to know it well,” Shami said after India’s four-wicket semi-final victory over Australia.
While India has made the most of the familiarity with the Dubai pitch, Shami has also had to shoulder an added burden in the bowling department. With Jasprit Bumrah ruled out of the tournament due to injury, he has led the pace attack with young Harshit Rana and all-rounder Hardik Pandya.
“I am trying to get my rhythm back and contribute more to the team. It is a responsibility when there are no two proper fast bowlers, and I have to shoulder more responsibility,” he said.
Shami has bowled his full quota of 10 overs in two matches so far but had a reduced workload against Pakistan and New Zealand, where spinners dominated the attack. Despite the extra responsibility, he remains confident in his ability to deliver under pressure.
“There is a load when you are the one main fast bowler, and the other is an all-rounder. You have to pick wickets and lead from the front. I have become used to this load and am trying my best to make it easy for others and give more than 100 per cent,” he added.
The 34-year-old pacer missed more than a year of international cricket due to an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup but now feels fit enough to bowl long spells.
“The trust debate ends when you get selected in the team. I don’t think one should worry too much about fitness. We just need to put in the effort and see how the body takes it. After all, we are labourers. I am now ready to bowl long spells. Short spells are anyways easy—six balls or 12 balls—and in limited-overs cricket, it doesn’t matter whether it’s 10 or six overs,” Shami said.
Apart from his individual performance, Shami also reiterated his long-standing appeal for the ICC to reconsider the saliva ban, arguing that its return would enhance the art of reverse swing.
“We are trying to reverse but you are not getting the use of saliva into the game. We are constantly appealing to allow the use of saliva, and it will be interesting with the reverse swing,” he said.
(IANS)
