Mohammed Shami was consistently dangerous with half-volley length shots: Mark Waugh

Mark Waugh, a former cricketer for Australia, has commented on Mohammed Shami’s performance in the first of the three one-day internationals (ODIs) against Australia on September 22 in Mohali. In order to assist India win by five wickets and move to a 1-0 lead, Shami amassed a career-high Player-of-the-Match 5/51.

In spite of the oppressive heat and humidity in Mohali, Shami began the match with his signature rhythm and discipline, bowling with an upright seam on a two-paced track that afforded some seam movement. When Shubman Gill nabbed him in the slips after India introduced Australia, he sent Mitchell Marsh back in the first over, setting up Marsh wonderfully. Shami aimed the ball into the improvised opening, but after pitching it, it slightly changed shape to kiss the outside of his bat.

Despite India’s quick start with the ball, Shami was also responsible for getting rid of a well-positioned Steve Smith when he was about to end the match. It was possibly his best dismissal of all five, with Smith falling for 41 from 60 runs after inside-edging the ball back to his stumps thanks to his nip-backer.

Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis put on a quickfire 43-ball 62-run sixth-wicket stand, but Shami struck three times in the last overs, all in rapid succession, to prevent Australia from getting any closer to the 300-run threshold. Before Matthew Short got out of his way at deep midwicket, he struck Stoinis’ timber, sending him back for 29. Sean Abbott sliced a slower pitch from him onto the stumps to bring Shami’s century to a close.

The batsmen were caught at the crease because he hit the ball the right length. therefore neither too long nor too short. The ideal amount of movement at the appropriate length. Even when the batsmen are unable to strike a four, you will still hit the stumps. With that half-volley length, Shami was always dangerous. It’s a narrow margin, but you have to be precise on this kind of track,” Mark Waugh said on Jio Cinema’s “Match Centre Live.”

Siraj vs. Shami debate: “Interesting match-up,” says Abhishek Nayar

Mark Waugh fellow panellist Abhishek Nayar discussed whether India would be able to field both Shami and Mohammed Siraj in the same starting XI.

In the event that Siraj’s scary six-for against Sri Lanka in the aforementioned Asia Cup match strengthened his argument for being the second pacer behind Bumrah in India’s first-choice XI, Shami has entered the fray with his Mohali exploits.

“The contest between the two will be exciting. There will be this strategy of selecting wickets. Because India was able to dismiss a potent Australian batting order, which included Sean Abbott batting at No. 10, you learned the value of picking wickets in today’s game. In other words, it just serves as a reminder that when you have bowlers who can take wickets, it might be a toss-up between using an all-arounder like Shardul Thakur and an out-and-out bowler who can take wickets in every stage of the game, according to Nayar.

At Indore’s Holkar Stadium on September 24, before the final match in Rajkot on September 27, India will play Australia in the second One-Day International.