On Tuesday at SuperSport Park in Centurion, Mohammed Shami grew to become solely the fifth Indian quick bowler to achieve 200 Test wickets, scything by the South African batting line-up and claiming 5/44 from 16 overs. Kagiso Rabada was his 2 hundredth scalp.
About a few months in the past, after India’s T20 World Cup loss to Pakistan, the quick bowler was on the receiving finish of deplorable social media abuse, focusing on his faith. Only his captain, Virat Kohli, publicly stood by him then. On a fair-weather day, adulation poured in.
Shabash Sultan of Bengal @MdShami11. Dekh ke maza aah gaya. Biryani. Doh din ke baad. Mehnat ka Phal. God bless. #SAvIND #Shami #Shami200 pic.twitter.com/QGZ41g4bD7
— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) December 28, 2021
Shami has seen a number of ups and downs in life and cricket. Injuries had compelled him to the brink of retirement. Last 12 months, throughout an Instagram Live session with Rohit Sharma, the 31-year-old revealed that he had thought-about killing himself 3 times throughout a interval of “severe stress and personal problems”. The equanimity he confirmed after reaching the landmark, in his fifty fifth Test, bordered on matter-of-factly.
“Mein toh line pakad ke rakha tha (I was bowling on a consistent line),” he informed reporters. “Pace doesn’t matter much in modern-day cricket. My focus is always on hitting the right area. Today also, I just targeted the right areas,” he elaborated.
He saved it easy. “Test cricket is not rocket science. But to play Test cricket you have to know the conditions and adjust your line and length accordingly. It rained yesterday. It was different today. The pitch had the zip. It was imperative to hit the right area and control your line and length. I was hitting the right length,” stated Shami.
5️⃣-wicket haul in testing situations means a contented bowling coach 🙂
A particular interview 📽️ between the duo arising on https://t.co/Z3MPyesSeZ 🙌
Stay Tuned ⌛️#WorkforceIndia | #SAvIND | @MdShami11 pic.twitter.com/qpwTgyuBHM
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 28, 2021
More than a decade in the past, when he began his journey in membership cricket in Kolkata, 200 Test scalps clearly weren’t on his thoughts. “When you are a kid, when you are a struggler, the only dream you harbour is to play for India and play alongside those whom you watch on TV and idolise. You work hard to achieve your goal. It’s about working hard, which is in your hands. And when you put in an honest effort, you get the result,” stated the quick bowler, paying a glowing tribute to his father Tousif Ali. “I came from a place (Amroha, Uttar Pradesh) where even today facilities are limited. Every day I had to travel 30 kilometres and my father used to accompany me. So all credit goes to my father and my brother.”
Today was one other event when Indian quick bowlers polished off opposition batting in fast time, in 62.3 overs. The upsurge of quick bowling has been the largest contributing issue to the staff’s success abroad. “This is the result of the hard work that the boys have put in over the last six-seven years. The support staff is there to support. It’s not possible to single out an individual. But (real credit) goes to the boys, who have worked their socks off. He who works hard, credit goes to him.”
Midway into South Africa’s innings, Jasprit Bumrah twisted his ankle and left the sphere. The onus fell on Shami to spearhead India’s tempo assault and he helped his staff safe a 130-run first-innings lead. “Obviously, when one of the bowlers from your unit leaves the field, some extra pressure comes on you. It stays in the back of your mind. In any case, you have to bowl long spells in Test cricket and we are playing with five bowlers. So we could manage that well,” stated Shami, allaying fears about Bumrah’s damage. “He is OK. He came back, fielded and bowled.”
Typically, the upright seam was the standout function in Shami’s bowling, courtesy of his wrist place, which he has labored on. “Once again, it’s down to hard work,” Shami signed off.
