Shami has impressed one and all with his exploits in the ongoing World Cup.
Shami was included in the playing XI after India were forced to alter their playing combination due to Hardik Pandya’s ankle injury.
As it turned out, the right-arm quick grabbed the opportunity with both hands, taking 23 wickets from six matches at an astonishing average of 9.13 with three five-wicket hauls.
Shami starred with the ball in India’s 70-run victory over New Zealand in the semi-final as he returned with the career-best figures of 7/57 in 9.5 overs.
On the eve of the World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad, India skipper Rohit Sharma heaped praise on Shami for his remarkable resurgence after being ignored for the first four games.
"It was tough for him to not play the initial part of the World Cup, looking at him being one of the senior bowlers for us," said Rohit in a press conference on Saturday (November 18).
"But he was there for the team. He was there to help Siraj, he was there to help Bumrah in whatever way he could. And that shows the quality of him, being the team man that he is."
"The results are there for everyone to see how he has come back from that. That shows the kind of mental space that Shami had before the World Cup and now."
Besides Shami, the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav have stood up for the team in crucial junctures.
New Zealand are the only team to have scored more than 300 runs against India in this World Cup and that too in a losing cause.
Rohit acknowledged the brilliance of his bowlers and said, “The bowlers have done a great job for us in this tournament.”
"When we started off, we were chasing in the first four or five games and to restrict teams below 300 in Indian conditions was a great effort. It's not been easy. But our seamers and the spinners did that perfectly."
(With AFP Inputs)