Team India fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who is known for his swing expertise, including reverse swing, in order to move the ball both ways, revealed he won`t mind if he is asked to bowl with a worn-out Kookaburra instead of a shiny white in the ODIs. He added that he does not have an ego and would purely go by the team`s requirements.
With Jasprit Bumrah back in the mix for the Asia Cup, it will be interesting to see who will be the Gujarat slinger`s new ball partner in the match against Pakistan on Saturday. In Bumrah`s absence, Shami and Mohammed Siraj shared the new ball in the ODI series against Australia in March this year.
“I don`t have any hesitancy to bowl with the new ball or the old ball. I don`t have an ego like that. All three of us (Bumrah, Shami & Siraj) are bowling very well, so it depends on the management on who will play,” Shami told Star Sports ahead of Asia Cup.
“Depends on whether I have the new ball or whether the team requires me at any stage during the match, I`m always on,” said India`s best exponent of swing bowling in current times.
For someone, who has 162 wickets from 90 games with an economy rate of 5.60, Shami doesn`t get too fussy about the format and colour of the ball.
“There is too much talk about the white ball or red ball, if you bowl in the right areas I don`t think that there is any difficulty in any ball,” said the Bengal speedster.
“There is only one goal, to go and give 100%, the result will come running to us if we give our 100%. So it is very important to focus and execute, it`s a very simple plan.”
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Bumrah`s presence will certainly boost the team`s morale ahead of a big event like World Cup.
“For a long time we didn`t have Jassi (Bumrah), so we felt the loss of a good player like him. You sometimes feel like `I wish this player was there`, to make your combination set.
“So having Jassi, especially in the white-ball format, has made our bowling very strong. He`s looking fit and he`s playing well, hopefully, we have a good Asia Cup.”
The camp in Alur before the Asia Cup has been of immense help for Shami who last played a white ball game in March and would like to hit the straps straighaway against Pakistan.
“For big games, there is always preparation as we have practised in the training camp. I don`t think we have to analyze too much into the situation, we have the skill and the bowling line-up, so we don`t have to think too much.
“But I have to say one thing, whenever One-day matches come, there has to be focus. So to be focused and to have proper planning.”
(With PTI inputs)
