The evolution of Mohammed Shami in Test cricket
One of the most improved fast bowlers in the recent past, Mohammed Shami wreaked havoc in the first innings of the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton.
The 30-year-old is one of the best exponents of reverse swing, and he displayed that in the summit clash with an absolute beauty. On the second ball of the 70th over, he produced one of his best deliveries to dismiss BJ Watling.
The wicket-keeper batsman, appearing in his final Test match, was undone by a classic fast bowler's dismissal of the ball pitching on the middle stump and moving away to clip the off-stump.
While his four-wicket haul in the first innings helped India bundle out the Kiwis for 249, the performance reiterated the class and exuberance showcased by Shami since making his debut in the longest format of the game.
Like most players, Shami went through the grind of domestic cricket before carving his name at the international arena. Plying his trade for Bengal, he went through the hard yards of bowling on flat decks in the Ranji Trophy and single-handedly shouldered the bulk of the responsibility for his state side.
Dream debut
After an impressive start to his international career in the white-ball format, Shami made his much-awaited debut in Test cricket against West Indies at his home ground, Eden Gardens.
The speedster picked up nine wickets in the match, including a five-wicket haul in the second innings to help the Indian team register a comprehensive innings and a 51-run win against their counterpart.
From a rookie to a spearhead
Over the course of fifty-one Test matches in his career, Shami has scalped 184 wickets at an average of 27.57. However, one of the most astounding things in the recent past is his evolution from being a third seamer in the side to graduating and spearheading the Indian bowling attack.
Over the past two years, he has been one of India's most successful fast bowlers, picking up 40 wickets in 11 matches. However, one of the highlights of his international career is his ability to consistently perform in the second innings of the Test match.
Even over the course of the past two years, his best bowling figures of five wickets for 35 runs were achieved in the second innings of the first Test against the mighty Proteas on a flat wicket at Vishakapatnam. Along with Ravindra Jadeja, he bamboozled the opposition to guide the home team to a massive 203-run win.
Despite suffering a troublesome knee injury, the fast bowler has bounced back and worked tremendously hard on his fitness. Another aspect of the game he has improved leaps and bounds in is consistency with his line and length.
While Shami has always been a seam bowler, his accuracy with the ball and the ability to target the stumps has reaped massive dividends for the Indian team. An in-depth analysis of this helps us understand that out of the 40 wickets he picked, 28 have been right-handers with 13 dismissals via bowled or caught plumb in front.
His meticulous rise in international cricket has helped him leapfrog in the fast bowling unit as one of the top three pacers in the country. With a much-anticipated five test match series against England starting in August, Shami is expected to play a key role for the Indian side in the favorable conditions on offer.
His accuracy and skill set to move the ball around both ways and his expertise with reverse swing will be potent in seamer-friendly wickets on English soil.
Virat Kohli will be heavily reliant on his trump card as the Indian team gears up for this high voltage series.