India seamer Mohammed Shami once again showed that he is the best Indian bowler in the Tests in the second innings. The right-arm bowler picked up four wickets to help his side bowl out Bangladesh for 213, and win the match by an innings and 130 runs. Doing so, he became the most successful bowler in the 2nd innings in the last two years. The 29-year-old has taken 51 wickets in 20 innings at an average of 17 in the past two years. Shami has the best strike rate of 32.2 among all the bowlers who have taken 25 or more wickets since November 2017 in the second innings of a Test.
Australia’s Pat Cummins with 48 wickets and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada with 34 wickets are at the second and third players in the list, respectively. India spinner Ravindra Jadeja with 32 wickets, and India pacer Jasprit Bumrah with 29 wickets fill up the top five spots.
India took a 1-0 lead against Bangladesh as Virat Kohli & co. won their sixth consecutive Test after the match. Speaking after the match, Shami said: “The more we get tired, the better fun we have. We push each other. We try to enjoy each other’s success. There are certain things I cannot even say. Given his (Umesh) power, all the boundaries in India are smaller. We don’t have restrictions as batters.”
“The team management has given us freedom. We try to bat sensibly though when there is a batter at the other end. I have been empowered by the skipper and the coach. I bowl alongside Ishant and Umesh as well. That makes it easier for me. I focus on my length and have been able to execute it well,” he added.
The two teams will play the 2nd Test in Kolkata from Friday, which will be the first day-night Test for India.
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