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Leading up to the World Cup, there was plenty of speculation regarding who would join Jasprit Bumrah in opening the bowling. The competition for that slot had tightened, as Bhuvneshwar Kumar's ODI form had dipped while Mohammad Shami had seen a significant surge in performance starting in late 2018.
Since 2018, Bhuvneshwar's ODI average had slumped to a lackluster 32.06. His performance in the Indian T20 League was similarly underwhelming, managing only 13 wickets across 15 games with a high average of 35.46.Indian T20 League form wasn’t impressive either as he picked up only 13 wickets in 15 matches at an average of 35.46.
Despite this, Virat Kohli and the coaching staff were hesitant to dismantle the proven partnership of Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar right before a major tournament. They opted to trust the duo one more time on the big stage, and it paid off. Bhuvneshwar excelled immediately, taking five wickets in the opening two games with a stellar average of 18.80 and a strike rate of 24.0. Bumrah matched this efficiency, also claiming five wickets with a near-identical average of 19.20 and a strike rate of 24.0.
Just as the pair regained their lethal rhythm, disaster struck during the clash with Pakistan; Bhuvneshwar was forced to leave the field just four balls into his third over. It later emerged that a hamstring injury would keep him out of the next two fixtures. While this is a blow for Bhuvneshwar given his current form, it opens a door for Shami to step up and showcase his abilities.
It is almost certain that Shami will feature in the upcoming games against Afghanistan and the West Indies. This marks his first World Cup since 2015, a tournament where he excelled as India's second-most successful bowler and the third-best overall, bagging 17 wickets at a brilliant average of 17.29.
Following that success, a string of injuries kept him away from ODIs for a while, but his recent return to the format has been remarkable. In 2019, Shami has already claimed 19 ODI wickets at a solid average of 26.42, while maintaining a disciplined economy rate of 5.13. His dominance is further evident in the Indian T20 League, where he took 19 wickets with an impressive strike rate of 17.05.
He has also found an extra gear in terms of raw pace and, more importantly, can maintain that speed throughout his entire spell. Now is the perfect moment for him to capitalize on this momentum and deliver strong performances in the next few matches.
Written by: Prasenjit Dey