Shami among best three seamers in the world: Kohli
A delighted Virat Kohli on Thursday praised Mohammed Shami following the South Africa versus India first Test in Centurion. He even went on to say that for him Shami is among the "best three seamers in the world at the moment". Kohli made his remark at the post-match presentation after India won the series opener against South Africa by 113 runs.
Why does it matter?
Shami was instrumental in India's win, claiming crucial wickets throughout. He led the Indian bowling attack from the front, especially when India did not have the services of Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah was forced to walk off the field for a few hours after twisting his ankle. However, Shami more than made up for Bumrah's absence with his performance.
Shami's performance in the first Test
Shami wreaked havoc on South African batters with his line and length during their first innings. He picked a five-wicket haul as India bundled out the hosts for a meagre total of 197. He bowled 16 overs and leaked 44 runs. He chipped in with three wickets in the second innings while conceding 63 runs, including Aiden Markram's scalp in his very first over.
Virat Kohli on Shami
Kohli reckoned that Shami should be counted among the best bowlers. "He just gets that extra bit from any pitch he bowls on purely because of his strong wrist, his seam position and his ability to hit a length consistently. (Hitting) areas, where you can't leave the ball, is absolutely his quality and very happy for him to get 200 wickets" Kohli said.
Shami went past 200 wickets in Tests
Shami reached a personal milestone during the Centurion Test as he went past 200 wickets in Tests. He is only the fifth seamer from India and 11th overall to do so. He has played 55 Tests for India and claimed 203 wickets at 27.00. Shami's economy in the red-ball game is 3.29. He has bagged 11 four-wicket hauls and six fifers in the format.
Shami's performance in 2021
Shami featured in five Test matches in 2021 and bagged 23 wickets, including a five-wicket haul. Shami's best performance this year came in just concluded Centurion Test. He picked eight wickets (both innings combined) while giving away 107 runs as India recorded a memorable win over South Africa. He is averaging 22.47 and has an economy rate of 3.10.
