"Mohammed Shami is doing exactly what Kapil Dev used to do" - Sunil Gavaskar hails pacer for match-winning spell vs England
Former Indian opener and legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar gave the ultimate praise to ace pacer Mohammed Shami. He compared his work ethic and relentless bowling at the nets to champion all-rounder Kapil Dev.
Shami picked up terrific figures of 4/22 in seven overs as Team India decimated England by 100 runs in Lucknow on October 29. In a spell hailed by many as among the best of the 2023 World Cup, the 33-year-old bagged the vital scalps of Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, and Adil Rashid.
Speaking to India Today post-game, Gavaskar praised Mohammed Shami's constant bowling at the nets, much like Kapil Dev used to.
"There is a lot of hard work there, Gavaskar said. "When he goes back home, he has got several pitches made apparently, and he just bowls and bowls over there. That is what is important. He is looking at his personal cricketing fitness.
"What is his specialty? It's fast bowling. By bowling a number of overs in the nets where he stays. I don't know whether he is a gym person. You can be doing gym all day. But at the end of the day... Mohammed Shami is doing exactly what Kapil Dev used to do, just bowl and bowl in the nets."
After not playing in India's first four games of the World Cup, Shami responded in style with a five-wicket haul against New Zealand before his spell against England.
The bowling masterclass propelled India's rise to the top of the points table with their sixth win in as many games.
"He looks like a cheetah or a leopard going for the kill" - Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar further expanded on how he enjoys watching Mohammed Shami bowling when in rhythm, comparing it to a cheetah going for the kill.
The 33-year-old has picked up 15 wickets in his last four outings, dating back to the Australia ODI series before the World Cup. Shami boasts an incredible record at ODI World Cups, with 40 wickets in 13 games at an average of 14.07.
"He is not listening to all your bio-mechanic experts who might say 'oh no, no bowl only 15-20 deliveries in the nets'. He knows that as a fast bowler, he really needs a lot more mileage in his legs as he runs in to bowl. He is showing it. And the rhythm, it gets so good. When he is running into bowl, and when the drone camera captures it, he looks like a cheetah or a leopard going for the kill. It's a fantastic sight," Gavaskar said.
Mohammed Shami's bowling exploits have made him undroppable at the moment. It leaves the Indian team management with a positive headache once Hardik Pandya returns or if Ravichandran Ashwin is set to feature in the playing XI.
Meanwhile, the Men in Blue have one foot on the semi-finals door and will look to officially clinch a top-four finish in their next outing against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on November 2.