Headingley Test: No doubts about Ishant’s fitness, says Mohammed Shami
Fast bowler Mohammed Shami rushed to the defence of his teammate And ishant Sharma after the senior pacer came up with the usual spells on Day 2 of the 3rd test against England at Headingley.
After bowling out India for 78, England piled up the runs on Thursday at Headingley, ending the day on 423 for 8 with a commanding lead 345 runs.
After bowling out India for 78, England piled up the runs on Thursday at Headingley, ending the day on 423 for 8 with a commanding lead 345 runs.
Ishant Sharma bowled 22 overs and he was the only Indian bowler to finish without a wicket. Ishant conceded 92 runs at an economy rate of over 4 runs per over. In fact, Ishant looked gingerly during his first spell on Day 1 and was struggling for consistency, something that is a rarity in the senior pacer’s recent career.
Former cricketers, including Ajit Agarkar, questioned Virat Kohli’s decision to open the bowling with Ishant Sharma on Day 1. Kohli stuck with his senior-most pacer, giving him the opening spell on Day 2 as well. However, Ishant was not able to repay the captain’s faith in him.
England captain Joe Root led from the front, hitting his 3rd successive hundred of the series. Mohammed Shami was the pick of the Indian bowlers as he finished Day 2 with figures of 87 for 3 in 26 overs.
“See when sometimes the ball doesn’t come well off the bowler’s hands or if the team has been on the field for a long time, the captain starts giving short spells of 3-4 overs. You don’t need to bowl 7-8 over spells consistently in Test matches,” Mohammed Shami said after Day 2 in Leeds.
“You must have seen that Ishant started the innings and ended it as well. So, there are no doubts about his fitness. It’s just that the captain has to see which bowler needs recovery, how many overs to give, how many short or long spells to give. It’s the captain’s call and not the bowler’s,” he added.
Despite a couple of Indian shoulders dropping, Shami kept the intensity high and ran in with a lot of heart. He removed the likes of Rory Burns, Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler, giving India crucial breakthroughs throughout Day 2.
Bowlers should not put their head down: Shami
Stressing that it’s important to let the intensity drop even as the opposition is scoring big, Shami added: “It’s your responsibility that, even when a big partnership develops, you should not put your head down. It’s your job. You have to try and take that wicket. You have to keep planning in your mind how to get the batsman out.
“There are lots of things that can be tried. If you put your head down, the partnership will only become stronger and bigger. Instead, if you manage to get a breakthrough, it will open up more options for the team,” he added.
India will look to bowl England out sooner than later on Day 3. However, the visitors face an uphill task of saving the Test, let alone winning it after falling behind considerably in the first two days of the 3rd Test. India are ahead 1-0 after having scripted a remarkable win at Lord’s earlier this month.
