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Follow UsSeam straighter than an arrow, the ball pitching in line with middle and off stump, the length trapping the batter at the crease and a hint of movement towards the probing off stump line.
It is an inch-perfect delivery. The length keeps the batter befuddled and the line takes the option of leaving the ball out of the equation. Only last week, Mitchell Marsh was bashing the South African seamers out of the park but he was struck dumbfounded at this gem from Mohammad Shami in the first over of the first ODI in Mohali.
Shami has made it a habit of late: executing that perfect delivery in the first over itself. And when he gets it right from the word go, you know he is going to be unplayable that day.
This trait of the 33-year old is most visible in IPL, the only white-ball cricket he plays regularly. His countless powerplay spells have played a pivotal part in Gujarat Titans becoming a force to reckon with in their initial years in the league.
In ODIs, however, Shami surprisingly averages 36.2 in the first 10 overs. He is still considered a new ball bowler and is a beast at the job. He may have garnered only five scalps in the 42 overs he has bowled in the first powerplay this year but Shami has economy of only 4.3 in this phase. In seven out of the 11 games he has played in 2023, seven times the economy has been four or under.
Shami has certainly left his mark with the new ball in some way.
But it is the middle-overs phase where his true impact lies. It is quite refreshing because Shami has not delivered consistently at this stage of the innings. 2019 was an aberration in the recent memory.
Shami has remarkable middle-over numbers since 2022 which are slipping under the radar. Shardul Thakur, his direct competitor in the playing XI, has the most middle-overs wickets: 28. Shami, in the meantime, has the best average while holding the best economy rate.
It is some feat in a phase that is presumably the toughest for fast bowlers in this format. Shami achieves that despite playing only 14 of India’s 43 ODIs (as yet) in this period.
On Friday (September 22), he snaffled 5/51, becoming the first Indian pacer to bag an ODI five-wicket haul at home since 2007. After his powerplay spell of 1/16 in four overs, the five-for included the prized scalp of Steve Smith in a two-over spell.
On a flat pitch, Smith was well set for a big one. The former Australia skipper looked to drive the ball on the up. But Shami’s dead-straight seam did the trick, bringing the ball back in sharply to rattle his stump. He got Marsh on the outside and here, Smith on the inside edge. Pouching Smith four overs after David Warner was out, Shami ceased the flow of runs for Australia.
In 11 matches this year, the right-arm pacer has bowled four overs in the middle phase seven times, five overs once and three overs thrice. It is clear that the management has kept him in mind as an effective force in that period.
Shami’s pitch map since 2022 showcase an intended approach to deliver more consistent returns. He has bombarded the good length area since 2022, his comeback year to fifty-over cricket after not playing any ODIs in 2021. His economy in that region was already good (3.8) but it has enhanced to 2.8 now. He also has seven wickets there, making him nearly invincible on that length.
There is a considerable reduction in the slot balls, from (23.2% to 15.5%). Again, there is a constant chopping in economy rates across all lengths. Regarding short balls, his average speed while bowling bouncers has increased from 136.1 kph to 138.2 kph between the two periods.
The seamer’s wrists have fallen into a metronome of hitting the right note on the good length area. And at the death, he showed more skills, completing his five-for with a couple of slower balls.
By nailing the middle-overs, Shami has become more versatile. His inclusion as the third seamer will turn India into a lethal attack, harboring four attacking bowlers on charge for wickets. It will allow Rohit Sharma the luxury to use Jasprit Bumrah as the game situation demands, and sometimes, as he wishes.
Yet, India will be circumspect to have ‘four number 11s’ in their lower-order. Of late, Shardul has also improved his returns. He was taken for 0/78 in his 10 overs in Mohali but has been handy on slower surfaces.
The Shami versus Shardul debate was a permanent discourse in the commentary box, right from that Mitchell Marsh delivery. From Sanjay Manjrekar to Mark Waugh, everyone felt it won’t be easy to bench a bowler like Shami. Many sides would be happy to have this Bengal seamer as their lead pacer, even with his fluctuating fortunes in white-ball cricket in the past.
In India, his 5/51 may have escalated his chances but he still seems to be the second choice to Shardul in this ‘bowling quality versus batting depth’ duel. India can feel they need batting at number eight, especially with more and more teams ticking that box.
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On more spin-friendly pitches, Hardik Pandya will take the role of the third seamer with an extra spinner slotting in at eight. Thus Shami, despite all his quality, will warm the bench in quite a few games. With 170 ODI wickets, he might be the most potent pacer to stand last in the pecking order of his team’s seam attack.
However, Shami has sent a good reminder of his capabilities - in India’s last series before the World Cup. He is in good shape for the tournament. It will aggravate the team management’s happy headache, ensuring he keeps giving Shardul stiff competition.
Overall, Shami, alongside Suryakumar Yadav, was another tick for India heading into a home World Cup.
