3 reasons why Mohammed Shami's IPL record is underrated
Gujarat Titans (GT) spearhead bowler Mohammed Shami is a curious case when it comes to the shortest format. The right-arm pacer is a conventional bowler in the truest sense and has carved a niche for himself in the T20s as well.
However, his efforts have not quite been rewarded or translated into a grander scheme of things over the years.
Shami recently scaled the 100-wicket milestone in the Indian Premier League (IPL), with his scalps accumulated over his stints with four different franchises - Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Delhi Daredevils (DD), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and the Gujarat Titans (GT).
Shami picks up two key wickets in the powerplay.
Prithvi Shaw and Mitchell Marsh depart.
@DelhiCapitals 52/2 after 6 overs.
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Shami slowly embedded himself into the Indian bowling attack across ODI and Test cricket in the first half of the 2010s, but his IPL career struggled to take off. He made his debut for Team India in 2011, but his maiden IPL appearance came in 2013.
A rather cursed blend of injuries, team combination concerns, and poor form resulted in Shami only playing 35 IPL matches from 2013-2018, which is far too little for a player of such caliber.
However, since then he has always been in contention for the Purple Cap and has garnered a reputation for being a shrewd T20 bowler, although most of it has gone unnoticed.
On that note, here are three reasons why Mohammed Shami's IPL record is underrated.
#1 Shami's IPL performances have not been rewarded with national team call-ups like his peers
Selectors have often used performances in the IPL as a yardstick for comparison or even to reward players for their performances in the tournament.
Shami thrived in the competition, specifically from 2019 to 2022, but during that peak timeframe, he only played 11 T20Is for India, with all of them coming at the T20 World Cup as a last-ditch contingency plan and never a first-choice like his form truly deserved.
His peers like Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and even spinners like Yuzvendra Chahal were all rewarded for their performances in the IPL by becoming first-team members of Team India's T20I setup and enjoyed long runs as well.
Shami, on the other hand, was not even considered a fringe bowler, undermining his status as an all-format bowler.
Mohd Shami at his best in the power-play 🔥
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Moreover, Shami is not the sort of bowler whose worth can truly amount to or correlate with the number of wickets he takes, because he offers so much more. His potent ability with the new ball makes life difficult for the batters, something which can be capitalized by other bowlers, if not by Shami beforehand.
Such attributes cannot be estimated by statistics and, more often than not, go under the radar.
#2 Has taken at least 19 wickets across each of the last four IPL seasons
Shami's brilliance extends to numbers as well as he is statistically the best Indian pacer since IPL 2019. Across the last four editions, Shami has taken 78 wickets in total. He has got off to a solid start in IPL 2023 as well, having already taken five wickets in two matches.
This shows his consistency and contrary to plenty, he is getting better with age as well. His role with GT also helps his case as he is able to express himself better, allowing his skills to lead the way, and the result is evident.
He has been the most consistent pacer during this time frame, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar running out of steam and losing form and Jasprit Bumrah battling persistent injury issues. While the likes of Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, and Mohammed Siraj have shown promise, they are yet to produce consistency at a level Shami has.
#3 Has a decent economy rate while bowling the toughest set of overs
In the modern era, everyone's eyes hover over the wickets column in the bowler's match performance, and rightly so, given that the game has become more attacking than ever. This does not make the economy redundant by any means, as it still holds a vital place in the game.
With all of his experience, Shami has been entrusted with a highly specific role over the years. His new-ball credentials mean that he often bowls up to three overs in the powerplay in search of wickets and one in the death, quite a dangerous combination when only economy is considered.
Despite his unpolished death-bowling skills at times, he holds a decent economy of 8.52, which can arguably be overlooked considering the frequency with which he delivers a breakthrough.
Shami was particularly efficient in the IPL 2021 and 2022 campaigns where he had an economy of 7.50 and 8.00, respectively.
Will the right-arm pacer be the leading wicket-taker among Indian pacers this year? Let us know what you think.