Team India has found itself with a happy headache of selection with Mohammed Shami being unstoppable with the ball in the ongoing ICC Men's Cricket World Cup. Hardik Pandya's injury came as a blessing in disguise as the Men in Blue were forced to play a frontline pacer rather than the bowling all-rounder in Shardul Thakur and Shami has been outstanding to say the least. He is taking wickets, bowling economically and not letting the opposition have their way against him.
Obviously with Shami performing so well, there was always going to be talk of him replacing Shardul Thakur permanently for the rest of the World Cup maybe becoming the second pacer after Jasprit Bumrah ahead of Mohammed Siraj, who has been expensive and has not been taking wickets regularly. Till Hardik is fit and ready, there is no problem as far as the bowling attack is concerned because Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and the three pacers will continue to play.
However, there might be a change in the offing when Hardik returns and former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson dropped a big comment on Star Sports with respect to the same.
“It's a great problem for India to have. That's a sign of a team that's in incredible form where all the players are putting their hands up and playing at their best. In my mind, Shami has taken over Siraj’s spot because of the way he's bowled in the last two games. He's been incredible,” Watson said.
Shami has taken 9 wickets in two matches and now is the third leading wicket-taker for India in ODI World Cup history with 40 scalps in just 13 matches. The spell against New Zealand was brilliant but they way he made the ball talk in Lucknow against England was just special and that according to Watson has seen him surpass Siraj in the pecking order.
“When Shami is at his best, as we saw against England, he's just so difficult to play. He can beat any batter on the outside or the inside. And because his length is so accurate, it's always hitting the stumps. He's always in there asking questions. It was unfortunate that Hardik went down injured. But that meant that Shami got an opportunity, and for me, he's surpassed Siraj because of the way he's been bowling,” he added.
