Mohammad Shami achieves record, says India ‘missed a trick’

India staged a comeback in the Australian second innings through Mohammad Shami on Day 4 of the second Test to stop Australia from controlling the game completely.

The right-arm pacer dismissing home captain Tim Paine and then sent back Aaron Finch in the next ball. With Nathan Lyon’s dismissal, he ended the Australian innings and also had figures of 6/36.

Courtesy this bowling performance, Shami achieved the record for the fourth best bowling figure by an Indian fast bowler Down Under. Shami thus joins a list which is topped by the great Kapil Dev who had figures of 8/106 back in 1985 in Adelaide.

Also read: Mohammad Shami ignores BCCI’s advice, bowls 26 overs against Kerala

The list also contains Ajit Agarkar (6/41) and Abid Ali (6/55). Agarkar’s figures in Adelaide had laid the foundation for one of India’s famous wins in overseas condition. Ali’s six-for had also come in Adelaide during the tour of 1977-78.

Shami, on Monday, had said that India ‘missed a trick’by not fielding a spinner in the playing XI. This decision raised eyebrows especially when Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon made use of the pitch.

“The team management makes these decisions. We can’t do anything about it. We had one spinner who didn’t bowl badly. (But) If you ask me, I feel there should have been a spinner, but these things depend on your management,” he said.

“After such a long time we have an Indian pace attack where all the bowlers are fast and are bowling good lines and lengths. Four years ago we weren’t even this experienced. You must have seen the difference in our accuracy from four years ago,” he added.