We enjoy each other’s success: Mohammed Shami on India’s pace unit’s camaraderie

Mohammed Shami believes that the secret to India’s pace unit doing amazingly well in the last 4-6 years, be it home or abroad, is because of the bonding that the speedsters share among them. 

“The fast bowling unit of the Indian team is a great package. All the boys work hard and understand each other’s roles,” the 30-year-old told Harsha Bhogle in an interview for Cricbuzz. “The biggest thing reason behind our bonding is that we enjoy each other’s success,” he added. 

The Bengal pacer further went on to say that the team has been in a building process since 2013-14 and the outcome that is being seen now is a result of the efforts put in by players to enjoy each other’s success. “We have been building this unit since 2013-14 and the biggest plus is the bonding that is there among all the players,” he said. 

“Such an environment has been created in the dressing room, that it would be surprisingly unbelievable for anybody that team could gel together so well,” added Shami giving the example of how sometimes Virat Kohli takes the ball at nets and the bowlers laugh off his actions and how it happens the same when the bowlers’ bat, making it a team that loves to keep its spirits high. 

Among the Indian pacers, Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Shami Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav combined have picked up 581 wickets in 183 matches. Shami, who has the most wickets in that period (180 in 50 games) also revealed the fun side of the pace unit.

Bumrah doesn’t take jokes that easily and gets offended. But he is a good lad too,” said the Uttar Pradesh born. “Although when it comes to me, Ishant, Bhuvi and Umesh, we are a deadly combo,” the soft-spoken person, an aggressive fast bowler laughed.  

Talking about the importance of maintaining the ball in Test cricket, Shami said, “I have always said this in team meetings as well, maintaining the ball is very important. So when I ball it is either Virat or Ishant who is mid-off.”

Much like batting, a partnership is required while bowling too, Shami, who has been hitting it well with Ishant, Umesh and Bumrah and will be travelling with the same people to England for World Test Championship Final in June, revealed how the partnership in bowling works. 

“When we bowl, be it me or Bumrah or Ishant, all of us are attacking bowlers, so in that regard, we decide as to whose day is it and accordingly among the two of us bowling from two different ends, one will take the defensive role so that the other could attack more,” he said.