Mohammed Shami: Bowling for India easier than bowling for Delhi Daredevils
Indian speedster Mohammed Shami
Playing cricket for India is an extremely tough job and even more so when you are the spearhead of the bowling attack. Right? Not quite, if you ask Indian paceman Mohammed Shami who believes that bowling with the new ball for India is a lot easier than doing the same for Delhi Daredevils.
Shami believes that having a fixed partner in Bhuvaneshwar Kumar while bowling for India makes it an easier task as opposed to changing combinations in the Delhi Daredevils set up.
“Bowling for India is easier. With Bhuvi operating from the other end, it becomes a tad easier for me. His job is to swing the ball and try to contain. I can freely attack from the other end. Here the combinations keep changing. We are still trying to find the right mix. Nadeem (Shahbaz) is a good bowler but I have to be more lethal with the new ball,” Shami said after training at Palam ground.
Shami also added that he is working on the advice given to him by former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar who adviced Shami to work on his run-up.
“Shoaib bhai has advised me to never ever compromise on pace. The other subtle changes that he has suggested are also valuable inputs. I will certainly work on these aspects as it will help me become a better bowler for India in near future.”
Shami was also full of praise for former India coach Gary Kirsten and current Delhi Daredevils captain Kevin Pietersen.
“This is first time I am working with him (Gary). He guides us very softly and does not put mental pressure on us,” he said. Shami added that Pietersen is a guy who is “positive, aggressive and never lets the intensity drop.”
The 24-year old conceded that they had to bowl better in the death overs and that they were working on doing so.
“We need to improve our death bowling. We are putting in a lot of effort and hopefully we will put up an improved performance. Our aim is to restrict opposition in the range of 130-140. The wickets would be slightly different over here. In Abu Dhabi, the strips had greenish tinge and the amount of bounce would be different over here,” he concluded.