Mohammed Shami has a fair bit of international cricket and although his days for India at the international level has been more under Virat Kohli, the pacer has also been able to read the mind of Rohit Sharma—the leader.
In an interview with India TV news, Shami has talked about different character among the senior member of the Indian team and highlighted the difference in approach of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Shami has said that Rohit is a cool and calm advisor who shows faith in bowlers’ own mindset and backs them to execute according to their own tactics.
“As a bowler, when I go to him for advice, he always gives positive answers. Rohit always pushes the bowlers to do what their mind tells them to, irrespective of how the batsman is playing or his strong points,” Mohammed Shami said on Wednesday. Rohit is a different character. He is a cool person, except when he comes to bat!” said Mohammed Shami
On the other hand, he said that the skipper Virat Kohli is as aggressive as it gets and his aggressiveness can well be compared to that of pacers. Sportingly, Shami said that whenever big screens show Kohli’s animated celebration after fall of a wicket, he walks up to him and ask if he was the one who took the wicket or was it the bowler.
Fast bowlers are very aggressive, both old and new. But the one player who could probably emulate their aggression is our own captain! Sometimes, when a picture of Virat’s celebration of a wicket goes viral on social media, I funnily ask him, “Was it my wicket or yours?” He celebrates more than the bowlers! Sometimes he points out that you don’t look too happy with the wicket, so I simply tell him, ‘You did all the celebration for me!’,” Shami added.
Mohammed Shami has returned to the Test squad for the tour of England where India will first play New Zealand in the World Test Championship final and then will challenge England over a five-match series.