Mohammad Shami said Virat Kohli gives them freedom on the ground to execute their plans.
India's fast bowler Mohammad Shami talked about the support of skipper Virat Kohli for his fast bowlers. Shami said Kohli gives them enough freedom on the ground and only jumps in when their plans fail.
Indian cricket team has seen a rise in their fast bowling unit under Kohli's captaincy, especially in Test cricket. India's pacers were impressive with the ball on the tours of South Africa and England in 2018, followed by series wins on Australian soil in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
"It is also indeed a phase which you can maybe attribute to the luck of this Indian team or hard work. But Virat has always been supportive of his fast bowlers while also giving us freedom on the ground. He only jumps in when our plans fail, otherwise, we're free as a bowling unit to do as we please. He has always been very supportive," Shami told Cricbuzz.
The 30-year-old also pointed out that Kohli gels up well with his players and he never adds extra pressure on his bowlers. Shami added that his behavior makes them feel like they are childhood friends.
"As far as our fast-bowling unit or I am concerned as an individual, he has never put any undue pressure on any of us. Usually, there's a doubt in a bowler's mind before he approaches his captain. That has never been the case with Virat. He has no air about himself. He jokes around with us, behaves as if he's our childhood friend," Shami added.
"This leads to a lot of fun on the ground too. Sometimes there's fun banter, sometimes we also end up saying aggressive things to each other but we never mind it because it happens in the heat of the moment."
(With Cricbuzz Inputs)