Both were rotated at the start of the limited-overs series against Australia, as previously hinted by skipper Virat Kohli, and then rested for the majority of the T20I contest, playing an equal number of matches between the two formats. Mohammed Shami played the first two ODIs and the T20I series opener in Canberra. Jasprit Bumrah played only the ODI series. It only seemed a precautionary plan of the management of getting their two best bowlers geared up for the Border-Gavaskar series. The two further missed the first warm-up game against Australia A at the Drummoyne Oval earlier this week which subsequently did raise a few eyebrows. But both were picked for the final warm-up tie at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday and they hit the straps with the pink ball, ahead of the Adelaide opener.
Both were accurate with their lengths and completely reaped the reward of the ball's tendency to show lateral movement under the lights with Shami even bowling 11 overs in his spell, albeit broken by a rain delay and tea break.
Bumrah, who earlier in the game scored his maiden First-Class half-century, provided the first breakthrough with an outside-off delivery that carried straight to the wicketkeeper off the softest outside edge of Joe Burns' bat, thus further adding to Australia's opening woe. Nic Maddinson and Marcus Harris then offered some resistance against India's new-ball pair before rain interrupted the proceedings for about half an hour. The break offered Shami the time to gear up once again for an extended spell as he dismissed Harris and Ben McDermott in his first over since interruption.
Shami eventually ended his spell with a third to his name, which was also Australia's fifth duck of the day, conceding just 29 runs in 11 overs. Bumrah added another to his name, offering a bait to Jack Wildermuth in chasing the ball down the outside-off channel. The two combined to leak runs at just three an over in their 20-over combination, picking five wickets between themselves, showing what a threat they will be in Adelaide next week, which remained the only positive on an evening where the Indian batters struggled against the pink ball.
Who will be the third pacer?
Former Australian skipper Ian Chappell, earlier this week, revealed that India coach Ravi Shastri hinted that Umesh Yadav will be the third seamer. “I was having a drink with Ravi (Shastri) the other day and he told me that probably (Umesh) Yadav will get the nod as the third pacer,” Ian Chappell told PTI.
With both Shami and Bumrah rested in the first warm-up tie, Umesh made the most of the opportunity as he dismissed both the openers in the first innings and added Burns to his list in the second innings as well, finish with 4 for 62.
Mohammed Siraj got the opportunity in both the matches and picked a total of four wickets while Navdeep Saini was picked only for the second game where he finished with 3 for 19.
