"He keeps things lighthearted, even during difficult situations" - Mohammed Shami credits Ashish Nehra for a great team atmosphere in IPL 2022
Gujarat Titans (GT) pacer Mohammed Shami believes head coach Ashish Nehra's attitude has been the key to a positive team atmosphere in the dressing room.
The new franchise are the only undefeated side left in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 so far, having won all three of their matches.
A major share of the success for the Hardik Pandya-led side arguably goes to the well-rounded bowling unit. Mohammed Shami, Lockie Ferguson and Rashid Khan have played their roles to perfection for the side.
#SRHvGT
All smiles ahead of our encounter no. 4️⃣ #SRHvGT
#SeasonOfFirsts #AavaDe https://t.co/RMQDkg2I8l
Addressing the importance of creating a positive atmosphere in a new franchise, and praising coach Nehra for the same, Shami said ahead of GT's match against SRH:
"So far it has been very good, the atmosphere is great as well. When you come into a new franchise, an atmosphere has to be created from scratch. The players come from different cultures, so it is important that the atmosphere is good, we all know how Ashish Nehra is, he keeps things lighthearted, even during difficult situations."
Several GT players have credited the coach-captain combination of Ashish Nehra and Hardik Pandya for the IPL team's perfect record this season.
When asked about his bowling performance in IPL 2022 so far, Shami responded:
"Yeah, trying out new lengths this season. Sometimes, as I have said before as well, we tend to plan a little too much. According to me, and the hard work I have done, the last three seasons have gone very well for me, and I have come into this season on my strength, which is the work with the seam and the control with the length. So, I try to look for swing with the new ball and hit good lengths as well."
The 31-year-old began the tournament on a bright note. The right-arm pacer dismissed KL Rahul for a first-ball duck in GT's first-ever win. So far, he has amassed six wickets and is placed 12th on the IPL Purple Cap 2022 list.
Click here to view the IPL winners list.
"My role always has been to get the most out of the new ball" - Mohammed Shami
Powerplays have been a vital element in the ongoing tournament. With surfaces in Maharashtra offering help for quicker bowlers with the new ball, bowlers have been able to capitalize on the pace and bounce on offer.
Shami has been one of the brightest exponents of the new ball. Speaking about his role in the newly constructed bowling attack, he said:
"My role always has been to get the most out of the new ball, and try to get as much swing as possible. The use of the new ball is very important. When there are many bowling options, you can use your best one upfront and try to get as many wickets as possible early on."
A look at the Playing XI for #SRHvGT
Live - bit.ly/TATAIPL-2022-21 #SRHvGT #TATAIPL twitter.com/IPL/status/151… https://t.co/SaDZiw3XFp
According to the IPL schedule 2022, GT will look to secure their fourth consecutive win when they take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai tonight.