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During the 2015 ICC World Cup, Mohammed Shami stood out as India's second-most successful bowler, claiming 17 wickets across 7 games with an impressive average of 17.29. On a global scale, he ranked third overall, trailing only the tournament's top performers, Mitchell Starc and Trent Boult (who tied with 22 wickets each), and slightly behind his teammate Umesh Yadav, who took 18.He secured 17 wickets over 7 appearances, maintaining a strong average of 17.29., Mohammed Shami was India’s second highest wicket-taker during the ICC World Cup 2015. If the list of highest wicket-takers in the entire tournament is considered, Shami was third, behind Mitchell Starc and Trent Boult—the joint highest wicket-takers with 22 wickets each—and his fellow teammate Umesh Yadav (18).
At that time, he seemed destined to lead India's fast-bowling unit for years to come. However, a combination of recurring injuries and the emergence of talents like Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar pushed him down the pecking order. While he managed a solid return in Test cricket, it felt as though his edge in the shorter, white-ball formats had vanished.
But Shami wasn't ready to give up. After a strong return to ODI cricket over the past six months, he has fought his way back into the World Cup squad. It wasn't an immediate success; during the December 2018 series against the West Indies, he looked a bit out of practice, conceding plenty of runs with figures of 2/81 and 1/59. Yet, by 2019, he reinvented himself, returning to the dominant form he possessed four years prior.
In his 11 ODI outings so far this year, Shami has been lethal, taking 19 wickets at an average of 26.42 and keeping the run rate down at 5.13. Throughout the series against New Zealand and Australia, he displayed great pace and a visible hunger to tear through the opposition's batting lineup.
His momentum carried over into the IPL, where he finished as the fifth-highest wicket-taking pacer, grabbing 19 wickets in 14 games with a solid average of 24.68 and a sharp strike rate of 17.05. These performances proved he could once again be a cornerstone of India's limited-overs attack, leading the selectors to name him in the 2019 World Cup squad.
The big question now is whether he will beat out Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the second seamer spot in England. Since Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are locks for the starting XI, playing both Kumar and Shami simultaneously seems unlikely. Nevertheless, the 29-year-old has put in the hard work to prove his worth; now, he just needs to deliver when called upon.
Written by: Prasenjit Dey