Mohammed Shami will be India’s big asset in World Cup, says Ashish Nehra

After missing a year-and-half of cricket after the World Cup in 2015, India pacer Mohammed Shami has come back a stronger man. The 28-year-old has worked on his fitness and is now relentless with his workload. Be it in Tests or ODIs, the two variants that he plays regularly, Shami has held on to his place in the team because of the exclusive values that he adds to the side’s strength. He finished as the man of the series in the recent ODI series against New Zealand that India won 4-1 and also did well in the first 50-over match against Australia in Hyderabad on Saturday.

Shami helped India get rid of the dangerous Maxwell

In the match, Shami took the vital wicket of Glenn Maxwell who decimated India in the T20I series and his captain Virat Kohli did not forget to take the spearhead’s name in the post-match presentation. “…the way Shami has come into the white-ball set up. Never seen him so lean before. Got Maxi (Maxwell) out on 40-odd with a beautiful wicket. Just looking good for the World Cup,” Kohli said. The Bengal pacer is indeed seen as a key member of India’s squad that will be in the quest for the third world title in England and Wales in a few months’ time.

Former India pacer Ashish Nehra also seconds the thought that Shami is going to be a vital member of the Indian cricket team in the 2019 World Cup. The 39-year-old lauded Shami for not only his consistent performance over a period of time but also his improved fitness level. Nehra, who has represented India in two World Cups in 2003 and 2011, said he wanted to see Shami having a good Indian Premier League besides bowling well in the remaining matches in the ODI series against Australia before heading for the mega tournament.

“Mohammed Shami has been really impressive, not just in this series and today’s game but for the last year and year-and-half. From South Africa tour I would say. Test cricket, he bowled really well. Bowled long spells. His fitness has been really really impressive,” Nehra, who has one of India’s best bowling performances in the World Cup with 6 for 23 against England in the 2003 edition in SA, was quoted as saying by CricketNext.

“He is going to be a big asset for India.”

Nehra felt Shami is a rhythm bowler who can bowl well even on flat wickets and hopes he goes into the WC with full fitness.

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