Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami has stated that even the best batsmen have some weaknesses and as a bowler, he tries to work on the same. Shami, who doesn’t have to bowl to Virat Kohli in International cricket, revealed his strategy of bowling against his captain.
Kohli is the best batsman in the world and it is a hard job for the bowlers to get him out. However, Shami, who bowls to Kohli in the Indian practice nets, added that he will try to work on Kohli’s weaknesses to get him dismissed.
Obviously, there is a lot to learn for Shami when he is bowling to the great batsman. As Kohli and Shami share the same dressing room, both of them know each other inside out and thus they are well aware of their strong and weak areas.
There is hardly any chunks in Kohli’s armour but that he can be vulnerable while facing the fifth stump line early on in his innings. In fact, Kohli has perished many times while looking to drive the ball which is outside the off-stump channel.
Shami added that he has dismissed Kohli a couple of times in the IPL and he would back himself to work on Kohli’s Achilles Heel if he is bowling against him. The Bengal pacer has dismissed Kohli on three occasions in T20 format.
“There are a lot of things that come with playing and spending quality time with another player. You not only come to know of his strengths, but also of his weaknesses. As a bowler, you need to keep working on the weak zones. There is no denying the fact that he is the best in the business, but even the best has those little flaws which you can work on. You just need to pick on one factor and focus on that,” Shami told IANS.
“Say for example, which has been the area that has troubled a batsman in recent times? You then work on that. I have dismissed him quite a few times (in the IPL) and without getting into much details, I will say you have to just work on the weak zone.”
Meanwhile, both Mohammed Shami and Virat Kohli have been consistent performers for the Indian team. Kohli has put his weight behind Shami as a captain and the results have been fruitful. The right-arm pacer has scalped 180 wickets in 49 Test matches whereas he has snared 144 wickets in 77 ODI games.
Shami will represent Kings XI Punjab in the IPL whereas Kohli will be leading his troops for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Written by: Gautam Chauhan