Bumrah-less India hope for Shami's wrist magic to reclaim Champions Trophy

Bengaluru: Mohammed Shami's right hand has more sleight than a magician. A simple cock of his wrist can outfox the best batters in the world. But can he unlock the sorcery and help India reclaim the ICC Champions Trophy after 12 years? The fans will certainly expect Shami to hit his strides straightaway in the marquee event because India's primary strike weapon Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out due to an injury.

But there are multiple concerns as well about Shami's readiness for an event of this magnitude. India start their Champions Trophy campaign on February 20 against Bangladesh in Dubai.

The 34-year-old is coming back from an injury. Even though he has played a few matches at various levels and formats since his re-entry into cricket late last year, delivering in a high-pressure tournament is an altogether different proposition.

Another reason for the trepidation surrounding Shami is the absence of Bumrah, his trusted ally in the last six years or so at the other end.

In the Champions Trophy, Shami is all set to partner Arshdeep Singh. But for all his skills and promise, Arshdeep is not yet at Bumrah's level.

So, can Shami drag the train forward all by himself? Former India pacer Laxmipathy Balaji found no reason to believe otherwise.

"Actually, he had out-bowled Bumrah in the 2019 (50-over World Cup) and in the last World Cup (2023). Bumrah is the champion bowler across formats. But Shami has experience and, before Bumrah's arrival, it was Shami who carried India's attack all through," Balaji, now a reputed pace bowling coach, told PTI.

Bumrah's unavailability makes it imperative for Shami to strike upfront consistently. Balaji underlined that factor.

"I think it's very important. If India has to do well, then Shami has to come good with the new ball. The kind of impact he can make in his first six overs with the new ball, it will play a crucial role for India.

"Old ball is anyway...it is a defensive game now. If he can make early inroads regularly that will give a huge booster to India," he added.

But can he find his optimal and ideal running speed, because Shami's effectiveness totally depends on his rhythm.

Balaji thought it was not a task beyond Shami.

"Since that (ankle) injury has happened, there was a little bit of slowness, maybe. It's natural. But there is nothing you can do about it. It's part of any sportsperson's career.

"He has the experience to get over it and he will do it as he bowls more. It's just about accepting the (physical) condition and continuing his best practices," he said.

However, Shami's duty will not be just restricted to taking wickets, as the senior bowler will also have to guide understudies like Arshdeep and Harshit Rana during the course of the Champions Trophy.

Balaji felt the body of work that Shami has built over the last 12 years makes him an ideal candidate for it.

"Shami is the leader of the pack right now. I mean, he has been the leader of the pack for a long time now. If you see what Shami has done in 12 years of cricket and, especially, in Test cricket, it has been humongous.

"Now, if he starts striking with the new ball the confidence it gives to other bowlers will be huge," he said.

It could be a blessing for Shami that India is playing their matches in Dubai, a venue where pacers found appreciable help in the past.

"He keeps attacking the stumps, a quality that is very critical in a place like Dubai, where batsmen may get a little bit more assistance," said Balaji.

How does Shami manage to be so effective with the new ball? "Shami has one of the best wrist positions in the game, helping him bring all of his variations. See, conditions in Dubai will more or less be similar to India, so he just needs to follow his methods there," he added.

So, what are those methods? "What Shami does is hit the seam and move the ball off the deck. It is dangerous as batsmen will not be able to guess easily which way the ball is going to move.

"It also brings into the equation the LBWs and clean bowled dismissals. The away movement ensures that slip cordon too will be in the mix," said Balaji.

"And he also bowls closer to the stumps, which allows him to explore those subtle angles. So, he will always be among the wickets," he added.

But Shami will have another reason to go full tilt in the Champions Trophy.

Despite achieving so much in his career, the Bengal man is yet to win a global trophy, the status brag for any cricketer. And already closer to the dog days of his career, Shami might not get another chance to do it either.

It might give him that extra dose of motivation to run in hard in Dubai heat, snap his wrists, before batsmen walk out with a confused stare at the splayed stumps.