"One hundred percent everyone believes" - Mohammad Shami's confident response to query on whether India can chase 444
Team India pacer Mohammad Shami has asserted that the side have complete belief that they can chase down 444 on Day 5 of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia on Sunday, June 11.
India will need to rewrite the record books to be crowned the new world Test champions. The highest-ever successful chase at The Oval is 263, which was registered way back in 1902.
On Sunday, India will resume their second innings on 164/3, with the odds heavily stacked against them. However, Shami expressed confidence at India creating history. Speaking after the end of the fourth day’s play, he said:
“One hundred percent everyone believes that tomorrow [Sunday] we will win the match. We always fight, we perform well around the world. So we believe and we will all come together to win this match.”
Earlier, all-rounder Shardul Thakur also expressed similar views after Day 3, stating that chasing 450-plus is not an impossible task.
India can take some confidence from the fact that they famously chased down 328 at The Gabba during the 2021 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, Shami stated that they aren’t thinking along those lines. He replied:
“It doesn't matter what happened in Sydney or Brisbane, we are playing here. We have to think about tomorrow and we will win the match. I believe that the Test match should go until the fifth day and maybe until the last session. That's the real test. So we have to bat well and they have to bowl well to save themselves.”
Australia resumed their second innings on Day 4 at 123/4. They extended their innings to 270/8, with Alex Carey scoring 66*, before declaring.
“If you bat well, 280 runs is not a big score” - Shami
India got off to a solid start in the chase as openers Rohit Sharma (43) and Shubman Gill (18) added 41 in quick time. However, both batters failed to convert starts, while Cheteshwar Pujara also fell for 27.
An unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 71 between Virat Kohli (44*) and Ajinkya Rahane (20*) lifted India. They need a further 280 for victory on Day 5, with seven wickets in hand. Looking ahead to the final day of the WTC final, Shami asserted:
“If you bat well, 280 runs is not a big score. So I think you should bat normally as a Test match; focus on playing ball by ball. You should not look at the long target. When you keep small goals and targets, you will get more success.”
Asked what if his batting skills are needed to hit the winning runs in the WTC final, Shami responded with a smile:
“Yes, I am always ready.” He added, “Especially in England, there is a need to make partnerships. I think everyone can bat in today's Indian team cricket and, hopefully, we will win tomorrow.”
While Rahane top-scored for India with 89 in the first innings in his comeback Test, Kohli was dismissed for 14 by a rising delivery from pacer Mitchell Starc.