Sunil Gavaskar opens up about resting Mohammed Shami in the 3rd Test

The veteran Indian batter Sunil Gavaskar expressed his disappointment over the way the hosts started Day 1 of the 4th Test against Australia. He also wasn’t pleased with the way Mohammed Shami bowled with the new ball. Australia won the toss and opted to bat, racing to 30 for 0 in 10 overs.

The action at the Narendra Modi Stadium got underway after the grand ceremony, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, but India looked off-colour and gave away a few extra runs in the first 30 minutes.

Shami, after being dropped from the 3rd Test in Indore, lacked rhythm, conceding 10 runs. He started with a huge wide and a late-swinging delivery, resulting in byes. Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar was unhappy with resting Shami in the 3rd Test. The legendary batsman also stressed the significance of a fast bowler maintaining match fitness.

“Resting Mohammed Shami was not a smart move. You had 8 days break between the 2nd and the 3rd Test. He bowled military medium in his first two deliveries,” said Gavaskar on Star Sports.

“That’s how it’s got to be. The batter is nervous, he is not yet off the mark. If he sees the ball go harmlessly to the keeper, he gets an opportunity to see what the pitch is doing. He can then mentally start to relax just that little bit,” Gavaskar added.

Mohammed Shami enjoys being in rhythm

Sunil Gavaskar wants a bowler like Shami to be in rhythm, because of the way he bowled in his opening spell.

“Great bowlers were at you straightaway, from the first ball. He is just not getting his line right. Look at how far that went. It’s going to be called byes because it hasn’t gone away from the marker, which indicates wide. I think, you know that Mohammed Shami is the kind of bowler who likes to be in rhythm, may be you shouldn’t rest him,” he added.

Nothing went India’s way in the first hour as Indian pacers Umesh and Shami struggled to find rhythm, while Australia quickly reached 40 for 0 in 12 overs. There was also a drop catch by KS Bharat of Travis Head at 7, which frustrated both the captain and the bowler.