India seamer Mohammed Shami did not agree with the Sri Lankans that the air quality was that bad.
“Pollution is an aspect that we seriously need to think about. But what was being portrayed (by Sri Lanka), it wasn’t to that extent. Also it could be that we are more used to (pollution) it and our ability to adjust is much more compared to them. “
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India may have dropped three catches in the slips but Shami defended his colleagues.
“Fielders are not machines that they will grab anything that comes their way. Yes, you might get angry when a catch is dropped but as a unit we are playing round the year for the country. It’s part and parcel of the game, you have to ignore and move on,” he said.
“It’s after a long time this unit has dropped so many catches. You need to put it in your stride and move on. We need to work hard and improve.”
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Shami, however, was critical of the home team not getting the pitches of their choice. “The kind of wickets we wanted to prepare on before going to South Africa, we haven’t been provided with those kind of wickets. So it didn’t go as per our plans. But it’s a good thing. On these kind of tracks, you need to work hard as a bowler. They test your fitness as you get to bowl long spells,” he said.
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On getting the ball to reverse, Shami said, “I didn’t find any reverse swing. But the ball was holding on to the pitch. Because, the pace at which we bowl, had there been any reverse, we would have finished the match today itself.”
Shami hoped India may win this Test. “We have full hope that we can force a result. We will put in effort till the last delivery,” he said.
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