‘He runs in hard every ball and gives you everything’ – Sunil Gavaskar lavishes massive praises on ‘workhorse’ Mohammed Shami

A total of 16 wickets fell in the opening day of the ongoing second Test between India and Sri Lanka as the track at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium had a lot to offer for the bowlers.  There were puffs of dust coming out right from the very first over and the pink cherry made the batter’s job even more difficult.

Mohammed Shami was among the many bowlers who made the ball talk on Day 1 and former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar is mighty impressed with him. Shami bowled just six overs in the opening day and took a couple of wickets in the form of Sri Lankan skipper Dimuth Karunaratne and Dhananjaya de Silva.

He got to move the ball off the deck as Sri Lankan batters endured a hard time against him. Following the conclusion of Day 1, Gavaskar called Shami a ‘perfect workhorse’ while hailing his ability to bowl long spells and maintain a substantial pace.

Mohammed Shami can build pressure with every single delivery: Sunil Gavaskar

“Yes he is somebody who can bowl long spells, sustain that pace, and can build pressure with every single delivery. You need somebody like that. He has been terrific as well. People often forget that sometimes you got to be one of the quicker bowlers has to be a workhorse that means he has to bowl not just a four-over spell, but a six or seven-over spell and that is what Shami does,” said Gavaskar on Star Sports.

“He runs in hard every ball and gives you everything. And he has got this ability that with just a little flick of the wrist he gets the ball to move either way. Tough to play him,” he added. Besides Shami, Jasprit Bumrah was also phenomenal with the ball as he scalped three wickets in the day. With the pacers doing such damage on a spin-friendly track, Gavaskar is mighty pleased.

“This Indian attack is a fabulous attack altogether. The new-ball attack is exceptional. Japrit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, there is Mohammed Siraj waiting, then Ishant Sharma, who did such a fabulous job but is not in the scheme of things at the moment and there is Umesh Yadav as well,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka ended Day 1 at 86/6 after bundling India out for 252. The hosts are looking well in command at the moment and the visitors need a substantial effort to bounce back.