Bengaluru : Expressing his delight over Mohammed Shami’s inclusion, Test skipper Virat Kohli on Monday said that the fast bowler is eager to make his return to the longest format of the game following a lengthy injury layoff.
“He is eager to comeback and prove himself all over again after injury,” Kohli said while addressing a pre-departure press conference ahead of the West Indies tour.
The 27-year-old skipper observed that Shami’s bowling is ideal for Test cricket while pointing out the latter’s proficiency in varying conditions.
“Shami is obviously a very skillful guy,” said Kohli. “He has a lot of ability with the ball, the way he bowls and the way the ball is released. He knows where to pitch the ball. The best thing about him is if it is seaming or swinging, he can bowl conventional line and lengths but if it is reverse swinging, he knows exactly where to bring in the bowl from. He has a great sense and feel of how to get batsmen out.”
“So he’s always someone you can bank on. He’s someone we always back because he can get us those two-three wickets we need. I’m glad to have him back in the team,” the swashbuckling batsman said of Shami, who played his last red ball cricket against Australia in January last year.
Shami, who made his Test debut against the West Indies in November 2013 at Eden Gardens, had a successful World Cup in 2015 where he picked up 17 wickets.
He then underwent a surgery on his knee which kept bothering him during the 50-overs pinnacle tournament and since then he hasn’t played any international match.
India will play the first of their four-match Test series from July 21 in Antigua. (ANI)