“Not bothered about Root scoring runs, only concerned with end result” - Mohammed Shami
Team India pacer Mohammed Shami has brushed off suggestions that all four Team India pacers proved ineffective against England captain Joe Root.
According to Shami, when a batter is at his peak, he is bound to score many runs. Joe Root smashed his 23rd Test hundred on Day 2 of the Headingley Test as England ended the day at 423 for 8, with a massive lead of 345 runs.
At a virtual press conference following the end of the day’s play in Headingley, Shami touched upon why India’s fast bowlers seemingly failed to make an impact against Root, saying;
“You may feel like that from the outside. (that all four Team India’ pacers proved ineffective against Joe Root). But that is not the case. Joe Root is at his peak at the moment. When a batsman is in very good flow and great touch, he scores a lot of runs.”
Shami pointed out that, despite Root’s heroics, India are still 1-0 up in the series. The 30-year-old added:
“India won even after Root scored a hundred (at Lord’s). He almost scored a 200, but we are still 1-0 in the series. We are not bothered a lot about Root. Some or the other batter is going to score runs. If their captain is scoring runs, so be it. We are only concerned with the end result."
"There is no point in thinking too much about a batter scoring so many runs. Instead, we have to believe in our skills. We need to back ourselve,s and not think about others. We don’t want to take too much pressure about it, and instead have faith in our ability.”
With his latest ton, Root went past former captain Alastair Cook to become the England batter with the most international hundreds. Root now has 39 international centuries to Cook’s 38.
Can’t put your head down even when a big partnership is building: Mohammed Shami
Shami was India’s best bowler on the day, with figures of 3 for 87 even as Root (121) and Dawid Malan (70) featured in a 139-run stand for the third wicket.
Asked if the shoulders tend to drop when nothing goes in favour of the bowlers, Shami responded in the negative. Replying to a query in this regard from Sportskeeda, he explained:
“It’s your responsibility that, even when a big partnership develops, you should not put your head down. It’s your job; you have to try and take that wicket. You have to keep planning in your mind how to get the batsman out."
"There are lots of things that can be tried. If you put your head down, the partnership will only become bigger. Instead, if you manage to get a breakthrough, it will open up more options for the team.”
After getting dismissed for 78 on the opening day of the Headingley Test, India are staring down the barrel with three days remaining.