India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has praised the training methods of Mohammad Shami and compared him with legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev. This comes after Shami has picked 9 wickets in 2 matches in ongoing ICC World Cup 2023.
Shami was benched for the first four matches by Indian team management, but had to be included after Hardik Pandya injured himself. Shami announced himself with a five-wicket haul against Bangladesh in Pune.
And most recently, picked 4/22 against England as India successfully defended 229 runs in Lucknow and won the match by 100 runs. This is India’s sixth win in six matches in World Cup 2023 and they now have 12 points and are just one step away from confirming their spot in semi-finals.
Sunil Gavaskar highlighted how the training pitches back home in Mohammad Shami's village is helping him find rhythm despite having been in and out of the side in ODI cricket. He also mentioned Kapil Dev used to be particular about fast bowlers doing that extra big in the nets and having the mileage to go full tilt on matchdays.
"There is a lot of hard work there. When he goes back home, he has got several pitches made apparently, and he just bowls and bowls over there. That is what is important. He is looking at his personal cricketing fitness. What is his specialty? It's fast bowling. By bowling a number of overs in the nets where he stays. I don't know whether he is a gym person. You can be doing gym all day. But at the end of the day... Mohammad Shami is doing exactly what Kapil Dev used to do, just bowl and bowl in the nets," Gavaskar told India Today.
"He is not listening to all your bio-mechanic experts who might say 'oh no, no bowl only 15-20 deliveries in the nets'. He knows that as a fast bowler, he really needs a lot more mileage in his legs as he runs in to bowl," he added.
Mohammad Shami now has 40 wickets in 13 World Cup matches and is second on the list of most wickets in ICC events by an Indian bowler.
Gavaskar referred to the practice pitches that Shami practices on at the full-size cricket ground that he built in his home town in Uttar Pradesh. Shami said he came up with the facility during the Covid-19 lockdowns and it has helped him train close to home when he is not playing for the country or in the IPL.
"He is showing it. And the rhythm, it gets so good. When he is running into bowl, and when the drone camera captures it, he looks like a cheetah or a leopard going for the kill. It's a fantastic sight," he added.
India will next play Sri Lanka on November 2nd in Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
