Shami: I do know my physique nicely and might deal with workload

Workload administration has as soon as once more taken centre stage as Indian cricketers get into the groove for the Indian Premier League (IPL), adopted by the ICC World Test Championship remaining in opposition to Australia at The Oval in June.

While the Indian group administration has determined to watch the health of all of the WTC-bound gamers that includes within the IPL, captain Rohit Sharma acknowledged earlier this week that the bowlers shall be supplied with Dukes ball in order that they will practice for the ICC occasion, even throughout the IPL.

But the group’s pace-spearhead Mohammed Shami doesn’t wish to assume too far forward. “There’s still time for the WTC final and the ODI World Cup and as a player, it is not possible to think that far ahead. You don’t know what will happen tomorrow. You need to be smart in terms of managing your workload. When you play international cricket, you know how much you need to work,” Shami stated on Friday, after claiming three wickets to pave the way in which for India’s five-wicket win in opposition to Australia within the first ODI.

“You understand your body well and that’s why you should not think long term. I know my body well and can handle workload, so I am taking it match by match,” he added.

At the Wankhede Stadium, Shami had a powerful second spell, claiming all three wickets. “It felt alright right from the first ball of the second spell. The ball was coming off nicely from the release. We talked about the seam position or off the deck, but the focus was to keep the ball in good areas because they were playing on the backfoot,” he stated. “My mindset was to keep the ball a little up with a slip in place, as I had done in the first spell…”

Coming into the sport, groups thought it could be a high-scoring affair. But Australia might solely handle 188, whereas India overcame early jitters and rode on a 108-run unbeaten partnership between Ok.L. Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja to romp residence.

“If you see overall, then there have been high-scoring matches as well here. The pitches here have good bounce, the ball comes nicely on the bat too. But if you would have noticed, whenever someone bowls in the right areas, (the course) of matches changes if someone is bowling at good lengths,” Shami stated.

“It is all about when you are able to shift the momentum – early or late. That is what we pulled off today, once we got the momentum on our side after the 20th over, we capitalised on it and we were able to stop them at 188.

In pursuit of Australia’s 188, India lost five wickets early on before Rahul stepped up with a half-century. “We talk a lot about pressure, players going out of form or returning to form but a player always tries to play a good innings, make a good start for his team. He (Rahul) has played so many good innings in the past. It happens sometimes that luck doesn’t favour you, or things are not working out well if you are trying to do something,” Shami stated.

“The pressure was certainly there, we had lost so many wickets in quick succession but the way he rebuilt, it was very nice to see that one of our players has made runs in a pressure situation…”

The two groups will play the second sport of the collection at Visakhapatnam on Sunday.