Former India cricketer Suresh Raina has urged India captain Rohit Sharma to continue playing five proper bowlers in the XI including Mohammad Shami in the remaining matches of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023.
Despite Daryl Mitchell’s 130 and Rachin Ravindra’s 75, New Zealand could only manage to post 273 runs after being asked to bat first by Rohit Sharma. The duo had added 159 runs for the third wicket and New Zealand was set for a total over 300 after being 178/2 at one stage.
But then Mohammad Shami came to the party, picking 5/54, while Kuldeep Yadav made a good comeback to finish with 2 wickets. Shami had been included in the XI in place of Shardul Thakur and Suryakumar Yadav was brought in for injured Hardik Pandya.
Former India star Suresh Raina feels that Shami should remain in the playing XI even if Hardik Pandya returns for India's next match against England in Lucknow on Sunday.
“Shami, (Mohammed) Siraj, (Jasprit) Bumrah Jadeja, Kuldeep, Hardik - this I feel is the best combination for this World Cup,” he said on Aaj Tak.
India has preferred the combination of Bumrah, Siraj, Pandya, Kuldeep, and Jadeja with R Ashwin and Shardul Thakur being played as extra bowlers. Ashwin only played one match against Australia in Chennai, while Shardul was picked to provide cover for Pandya in the rest of the matches.
Raina says that keeping Shami in the side even after Pandya returns would provide captain Rohit Sharma with an extra weapon during the latter stage of an opposition innings, as it did against New Zealand.
“Now that Shami has taken this five-wicket haul, Rohit has more options with three attacking bowlers who can operate in the death overs as well. It is some relief for Hardik as well because when these three bowl, the pressure will be waved off a bit. He can create pressure in his own way,” he said.
Raina praised Kuldeep Yadav as well, who was smashed for runs by Mitchell and Ravindra early on. But he returned to finish with wickets of the dangerous duo of New Zealand captain Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips.
“Kuldeep and Jadeja also did well. The over that Kuldeep bowled in which he got Tom Latham out at a crucial time was brilliant and he got Glenn Phillips as well. Otherwise they were looking good for getting a score of around 290 or 310. Rohit is using his bowlers in an astute way. Shami was very impressive. He took five wickets and whenever those stump lights go up, it feels really good,” said Raina.
India will play England next in Lucknow on October 29 and then faces Sri Lanka in Mumbai on November 2nd.
