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India's wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul has hailed Mohammed Shami as one of the toughest bowlers to keep wicket to, highlighting his accuracy, pace, and ability to generate movement.
Speaking at the pre-match press conference ahead of India's ICC Champions Trophy Group A clash against New Zealand in Dubai on Sunday, Rahul shared his experiences of keeping to Shami and the challenges that come with it. Rahul revealed that Shami always finds a way to challenge wicketkeepers, often forcing him into full-length dives. "The tough thing against Shami while wicketkeeping is that in every game--funnily somehow--he'll make sure that I'm diving full length. And then he gives me one or two opportunities to be brilliant behind the stumps or look stupid sometimes," Rahul said. He pointed out that Shami, along with Jasprit Bumrah, generates a unique wobble effect on the ball, making it even harder to predict and collect cleanly. "One of the few bowlers whose ball really wobbles--him and sometimes Bumrah, when he bowls in the second or third spell. I don't know what it has to do with anything, but he gets the ball to wobble behind the stumps as well. So that's been very challenging," he said. Beyond his natural seam movement, Rahul emphasized Shami's accuracy and sharpness, aspects that often go underappreciated. "Everyone talks about how he's gifted, how he can get the ball to seam in any condition, and how upright his seam is. But not many people talk about how accurate he is and how sharp he is. He can actually surprise you with his pace," Rahul praised. Rahul recalled a recent net session where Shami's express pace caught him off guard. "Just the other day in the nets, he hit me straight on the badge. So, all of these things make him a very difficult bowler to play against," he said. Shami has recently returned from injury, and Rahul acknowledged the hard work and discipline it took for him to get back into competitive cricket. "It's really hard being away from the game, and the injury he (Shami) had was tough. I was at the NCA for some time and had spoken to him--I know how difficult it has been. But he's worked really hard and stayed disciplined, which is the hardest thing to do when you're injured and away from the game for so long," he noted. Rahul expressed confidence that Shami is close to regaining his peak form. "Really happy to have him back, and I think he's very close to his best," he remarked. With Shami back in the Indian lineup, his ability to trouble batters and create wicket-taking opportunities will be crucial as India takes on New Zealand in a high-stakes Group A Champions Trophy encounter in Dubai. (ANI)
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