cricket

Updated: Nov 15, 2019 07:37 IST

When Mushfiqur Rahim was dropped twice, first by the Indian captain and then by the vice-captain, on the first day of the Indore Test, it seemed the diminutive Bangladeshi batsman was all set for another telling knock against India. After all the former Bangla Tigers captain revels in beating India and performing well against the neighbours. He has over the years played a key role whenever Bangladesh has been successful against India, including their maiden T20I win against the ‘Men in Blue’ earlier on this tour.

Rahim, who is by far Bangladesh’s most technically sound batsman, got about his business after the two early reprieves. He has made a career out of taking his team out of a hole and that was the case on Thursday again as he slowly made his way into the 40s.

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Cocaine - Meth - Mo Shami with old ball#INDvBANpic.twitter.com/Sb0dCiJK9n — BrainFaden Smith (@brainfadesmith2) November 14, 2019

With Tea in sight, Mushfiqur had steadied the Bangladeshi ship somewhat, despite another stellar show by Indian bowlers in the whites. Then came Mohammed Shami and threw a spanner in the Bangladeshi’s good work. Shami 2.0 is a bowler who gets more dangerous as the game progresses, often making a mockery of batting line-ups in his later spells. And he did just that yet again. Three back to back deliveries outside the off stump meant Mushfiqur was in a zone where he was happy leaving, letting the ball safely move into Wriddhiman Saha’s gloves.

Shami knew he had his man set and he got one to sear back sharply. Mushfiqur was late to spot the movement and by the time he got his bat down, the ball had touched the timber. The bails were off and an elated Shami exulted while looking at an overjoyed Virat Kohli.

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He would go on to trap Mehidy Hasan in front off the very next delivery, although replays showed the ball would have missed the leg stump, and hastened Bangladesh’s demise. Shami finished with figures of 3/27 in 13 overs, the best for the number 1 team in the innings.

Former India batsman VVS Laxman broke down the process in the Tea break, while speaking on Star Sports.

“Brilliant success to get Mushfiqur out, bowling two three deliveries away. Then using the crease to go wide of the crease and getting the ball to come in. Terrific planning and good to see him succeed in the plan than he set-up. He(Mushfiqur) batted well but he was very lucky. We saw the same with Shami in Vizag where he set-up Faf du Plessis. He does this consistently and does it really well. He has got great control over his bowling that is why he has been able to pull off the plans that he sets up,” Laxman said.

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Shami has the best strike-rate for any bowler in Test cricket in 2019 and has played a huge role in India’s relentless success in cricket’s longest format over the past few years.

“That is the way he has been bowling. He picks up one, he gets the rhythm and he is then high on confidence. He runs really well and hit the pitch very hard and then he gets the success,” Laxman added.