Sri Lanka over potrayed the mask controversy, says Shami

Shami claimed Sri Lankan players over-portrayed the pollution.

Sri  Lanka have overdone the  mask controversy, says Shami. (Getty)

Indian pacer Mohammad Shami stated that they were unbothered with the pollution in Delhi when Sri Lankan players were wearing the mask on the field. 

Asked if the pollution, at higher levels of the day than on Sunday, had affected their performance, Shami suggested the air was of poor quality and needed to to be taken seriously, but at the same time, he said it wasn't as much as Sri Lankans portrayed.

READ | IND v SL 2017: Sanjay Bangar concerned over Ajinkya Rahane's form

“I had a bit of a cold even before the match started. Yes, pollution is an aspect that we seriously need to think about. But what was being portrayed (by Sri Lanka), it wasn't to that extent. 

“Also it could be that we are more used to (pollution) it and our ability to adjust is much more compared to them. I think we need to check what are the reasons of pollution and try to minimise it. Look we are used to suffering from all these problems.”

READ | IND v SL 2017: Dhananjaya de Silva ready for top order challenge

The 27-year-old who picked up two wickets in the first innings against Sri Lanka said the fast bowlers could bowl long spells in the third Test and the team's fitness was tested. He also talked about the lifeless pitch and said livelier surfaces ahead of the upcoming South Africa tour.

“The kind of wickets we wanted to prepare on before going to South Africa, we haven’t been provided with. So it didn’t go as per our plans. But it’s a good thing that on these kind of tracks, you need to work hard as a bowler. They also test your fitness as you get to bowl long spells. Overall as a bowling unit, all of us have together bowled more than 100 overs (130 overs in all so far in the innings). So you can gauge how much effort we are putting in.”

India looked a bit down in their fielding. They dropped few important catch which could have resulted in an early wrap-up of Sri Lankan innings. When asked about the poor fielding, Shami replied, “Fielders are not machines that they will grab anything that comes their way. Yes, you might get angry when a catch is dropped but it’s a part and parcel of the game.”

 
 
 

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 05 Dec, 2017

    Share Via