IND vs ENG: “No Doubts” About Ishant Sharma’s Fitness, Says Mohammed Shami

India pacer Mohammed Shami has rubbished concerns over fast bowler Ishant Sharma’s fitness in the ongoing third Test against England. Joe Root hit his third ton of the series while Dawid Malan, Rory Burns, and Haseeb Hameed scored fifties as England piled on the misery on India on Day 2 of the third Test. The hosts finished the second day on 423/8 with Craig Overton (24*) and Ollie Robinson (0*) at the crease. Apart from Ishant, all other Indian bowlers were able to pick up at least a wicket.

“See when sometimes the ball doesn’t come well off the bowler’s hands or if the team has been on the field for a long time, the captain starts giving short spells of 3-4 overs. You don’t need to bowl 7-8 over spells consistently in Test matches,” said Shami after the end of the day’s play.

“It depends on the situation and the bowler’s rhythm as well, that’s very important. You must have seen that Ishant started the innings and ended it as well.

“So there are no doubts about his (Ishant’s) fitness. It’s just that the captain has to see which bowler needs recovery, how many overs to give, how many short or long spells to give. It’s the captain’s call and not the bowler’s,” he added.

The India pacer wants the visitors’ bowlers to keep on trying things to keep the England batsmen on their toes.

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“It’s your responsibility that, even when a big partnership develops, you should not put your head down. It’s your job. You have to try and take that wicket. You have to keep planning in your mind how to get the batsman out,” said Shami.

“There are lots of things that can be tried. If you put your head down, the partnership will only become stronger and bigger. Instead, if you manage to get a breakthrough, it will open up more options for the team,” he signed off.