World Cup 2019: Perfect mix of skills and pace is USP of our attack, reckons Shami

Mohammed Shami stated in an interview that it’s a matter of pride for the whole bowling unit to be considered the strength of this squad

It’s happening for the first time that the Indian Cricket Team is heading for the ICC World Cup and the bowlers have been the talking point. The change in perception didn’t occur overnight but it’s the outcome of the hit and trial method applied by the team management in order to create a pool of fast bowlers who have the perfect mix of skills and pace. Team India’s success in England hugely depends upon the shoulders of the pace trio – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwa Kumar. As a captain, Kohli could not have asked for a better pace battery as India look to stay true to the favourites tag and win their third 50-over title. Meanwhile, Shami stated in an interview that it’s a matter of pride for the whole bowling unit to be considered the strength of this squad. Moreover, it was like a dream come true that this team boasts one of the best pace-bowling attacks that India has ever produced. “In the last 20 or 30 years, if you look back at the history of Indian cricket, it has always been dominated by the batsmen. Things have started improving in the last five to seven years and to be honest, it has been a process and not something that has happened overnight. We have been bowling as a unit and that helps. “The best part is that along with variety, we have an attack that can bowl fast. Having skills and pace together is the USP of this side as that somewhere increases the confidence of the attack. To be honest, it is like a dream that has come true and I feel very proud that today people talk about our bowling unit as one of the best -- a thing that wasn't heard much but is now called our strength,” Shami explained. But fast bowling is not an art that comes naturally to a human body and the chances of injuries are high. In fact, skipper Virat Kohli had time and again warned the Indian players not to overwork themselves and be smart and manage their workload. Shami said that he kept in constant touch with the Indian team physio Patrick Farhart and discussed how his body was responding to the rigours of playing in the IPL. “I don't believe in making too many changes and neither do I underwork or overwork my body. Had been constantly in touch with the physio and whatever I feel, I always tell the physio honestly so that the team doesn't suffer,” he said. While Shami will be the guiding light for the Indian attack in the upcoming World Cup, there was a phase in the last two years when it was felt that the pacer from Bengal had become a red-ball specialist. But Shami says that he was waiting for his opportunity and knew that when given the chance, he would have to grab it with both hands. “I was just waiting for an opportunity as I had a good record in white-ball cricket. Waited for almost two years and I had it in mind that when I did get the chance, I will show what I could do. Always knew that I can adapt to the shorter format and bowl the line and length required to succeed,” he revealed.