Mohammed Shami vs Pat Cummins - which bowler has a better Test record in England ahead of WTC final
The countdown to the WTC Final has started. The cricket universe will witness an epic battle between India and Australia at The Oval, starting June 7.
This match will crown a new winner in the ICC World Test Championship. New Zealand were the defending champions of the competition, but the Blackcaps failed to qualify for the final this year. Last edition's runners-up India finished in the Top 2 once again. This time, they will take on Australia in the summit clash.
India and Australia played a four-match Test series in India earlier this year, resulting in a 2-1 victory for the former. While the conditions in India favored the spinners, the pitch and weather at The Oval will help the fast bowlers more. Both teams will expect their pacers to bring their 'A' game to the table in this big game.
Mohammed Shami will lead the Indian pace attack, while captain Pat Cummins will have the responsibility of leading the Aussies from the front. Before the big game in England, here's a look at the records of the two star fast bowlers in English conditions.
#1 Mohammed Shami vs Pat Cummins - Who has the better bowling average in England?
Mohammed Shami has played 13 Tests in England, while Pat Cummins has played only five. Hence, it would be wrong to compare the number of wickets the two players have taken on English soil, but their other statistics will help us draw a conclusion. The first is their bowling average.
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Shami has bagged 38 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 40.53, meaning he takes a wicket for every 40 runs he concedes. On the other side, Pat Cummins has accounted for 29 wickets in five Tests at an average of 19.62.
Cummins' bowling average in England is much better than Shami. Hence, the Australian captain takes a lead here.
#2 Mohammed Shami vs Pat Cummins - Who has the better strike rate in England ahead of the WTC Final?
The bowling strike rate is the average number of deliveries a bowler bowls for a wicket in cricket. Mohammed Shami's bowling strike rate in Test matches hosted by England is 69.37.
Pat Cummins takes a wicket after every 43.66 balls in England. Thus, Cummins takes a 2-0 lead against Shami in this comparison.
#3 Mohammed Shami vs Pat Cummins - Who has the better economy rate?
The economy rate in Test cricket is generally not looked upon enough, as the batters don't take risks quite frequently in this format. In the Tests played on English soil before the WTC Final, Pat Cummins maintained an economy rate of 2.7.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami has an economy rate of 3.51 runs per over in Tests in England before the WTC Final. Bowling dot balls puts the opponent team under pressure in Test matches as well, which is why Cummins makes more impact for his team.
Tom Moody feels that if Pat Cummins is in top form, he could pose a significant challenge for Virat Kohli in the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
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On paper, Pat Cummins has a better record than Mohammed Shami in English conditions. It will be interesting to see who performs better in the WTC Final.