Karsan Ghavri: Mohammed Shami will be a key bowler for the World Cup

Mohammed Shami should be part of India’s squad for the Cricket World Cup in 2019, believes former India fast bowler Karsan Ghavri.

In peak form: Mohammed Shami was India’s Player of the Series for taking nine wickets in the ODI series against New Zealand.

Karsan Ghavri, the former India fast bowler, believes Mohammed Shami is in peak form and would be a key bowler for India for the Cricket World Cup in 2019.

Shami has a variety of deliveries in his arsenal, according to Ghavri. “[Mohammed] Shami is an improved bowler [now] and is more focused on cricket. After whatever has happened to him in the last two years, he has come back very strongly. He is bowling [at] the best of his career,” Ghavri told PTI .

Asked whether Shami is an important contender for the World Cup squad, Ghavri replied: “100 percent.”

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“He should be in the [Indian] squad for the World Cup because in the English conditions, he will be a key bowler,” said Ghavri.

Shami emerged as the Player of the Series for his nine wickets in the recently concluded five-match One-Day International series against New Zealand. In the first contest, the 28-year-old became the fastest Indian to claim 100 wickets in the format.

All-round package

Ghavri believes Shami must maintain his accuracy as it would come handy for the team, too. “He has got variety and can bowl [the] in-swinger and out-swinger. Accuracy is also there. If he develops a good yorker, it will be like an icing on the cake. His line and length is good and [he] can generate a good speed. Shami bowls regularly in [the range of] 140-145 [kph] and if he keeps his accuracy, it is going to be handy for himself and the Indian team,” explained Ghavri.

Karsan Ghavri has played 39 Tests and 19 ODIs for India. File Photo: M. Moorthy

 

Raju Kulkarni, another former India fast bowler, described Shami as the “captain’s delight.”

“Mohammed Shami was always a very talented young pace bowler. Unfortunately, he was always facing either injuries or there were a few domestic problems last year, but he has come out of it and is bowling beautifully. He was bowling in patches, but now you can see a lot of consistency in his bowling,” said Kulkarni.

“[Shami] is [a] captain’s delight, and with him [in the team], nobody would dare to give a green-top wicket [pitch] to us. We also have a formidable pace attack now,” Kulkarni added.