Ahead of India’s last Super Four Stage match against Bangladesh, India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said on Thursday that leaving Mohammed Shami from the playing XI was not easy but they had taken the decision for team’s betterment. India will take on Bangladesh on Friday to be at the top at the end of the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup.
Shami last played in the match against Nepal in the group stage but he was left out of the team against Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Super Four stage matches. In the match against Nepal, Shami had taken one wicket by conceding 29 runs.
“It’s not easy to leave out someone like Shami, and it is not easy to have that conversation but any decision we have taken the players know; one is the intent … and anything that is better for the team and we looks from the teams perspective. He (Shami) understands why he is not in the team,” Mhambrey said in the pre-match press conference on Thursday.
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The bowling coach was happy with the performance of India’s vice-captain Hardik Pandya. Hardik has shown a surge in his bowling speed, achieving 140kph. “We are very happy with the way Hardik has shaped up, something that we worked for a long time. We were planning on him and managing his workload, making sure that he was fit. We are able to achieve what we expect from him right now,” Mhambrey said.
When asked about a chance to give Tilak Varma an opportunity in the team, Mhambrey said that they are considering to give him an over or two to bowl. “We have been working with him (Tilak Varma) since U 19, he has the skill of bowling and we are consistently working on it…and we are trying to give him an over in match and when the captain has confidence then we will try him in one match and if there comes an opportunity then we will try him,” he added.
Mhambrey responded on the possibility of giving an opportunity to players sitting on the branch. He said, “No, we haven’t decided yet whether we should keep out some players or not, but yes there is an opportunity for the players that we can try them as we qualified for the final.”
“We have to read wickets and we have two different wickets in two games, chasing isn’t easy under lights, we used condition better than opponents as a better bowling unit we did well.”
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