Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar heaped huge praise on Mohammed Shami called him a workhorse that every team needs. Shami produced a fierce spell and picked early wickets of Dimuth Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva. The premier pacer got the better of in-form Karunaratne with a peach of a delivery which broke the batter’s defence hit the top of middle and top stump.
The opening day of pink ball Test at M Chinnaswamy Stadium witnessed 16 wickets falling down. However, both teams’ batters faced contrasting difficulties as the Indians struggled against spin while the visitors were troubled by the pacers.
Gavaskar feels that Shami is a perfect workhorse for Team India captain Rohit Sharma as the premier pacer can bowl 6-7 over on a trot.
“Yes he is somebody who can bowl long spells, sustain that pace, and can build pressure with every single delivery. You need somebody like that. He has been terrific as well. People often forget that sometimes you got to be one of the quicker bowlers has to be a workhorse that means he has to bowl not just a four-over spell, but a six or seven-over spell and that is what Shami does. He runs in hard every ball and gives you everything. And he has got this ability that with just a little flick of the wrist he gets the ball to move either way. Tough to play him,” Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
He further talked about the potential of the Indian pace attack which comprised some of the best bowlers in the world at the moment.
“This Indian attack is a fabulous attack altogether. The new-ball attack is exceptional. Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, there is Mohammed Siraj waiting, then Ishant Sharma, who did such a fabulous job but is not in the scheme of things at the moment and there is Umesh Yadav as well,” he said.
Bumrah (3/15), Shami (2/18) — along with batter Shreyas Iyer (92) put India in a commanding position against Sri Lanka on the fast-paced opening day
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