Many bowlers have been key figures for their respective Indian Premier League (IPL) teams, but none more so than Mohammad Shami. The Gujarat Titans (GT) bowler has 16 wickets in the ongoing IPL 2022 season, the most in his team, and has already led his side to the playoffs after their last win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
The 31-year-old is often grouped alongside the bowlers who have the best seam positions. He gets movement irrespective of the format in which he plays, and his seam and wrist position combined with an upright action makes him a joy to watch among the modern bowlers of the game.
And now, the India pacer is ready to see the young speedsters like Mohsin Khan and Umran Malik emerging from IPL 2022 have bright futures with the national team. "Feels good to see that the future of Indian cricket is in safe hands. It's important for these youngsters to focus on their training and move forward in their career," Shami said in response to a Hindustan Times query during a media session on Friday, May 13.
“Talking about Mohsin, he used to practice with me. He is young and strong but needs to focus on his game plan. You've to prepare a routine both physically and mentally. If you build your set-up at a young age, it will reap benefits for many years. When we used to play, very few people used to know about cricket that's played at a higher level. But today's generation has a lot of options.
"I feel the new crop of fast bowlers including Mohsin and Umran have a lot of confidence. I hope they do well for the country in the near future," he further said.
He has incredible pace and a good future but needs time to mature: Mohammad Shami on Umran Malik
Shami is part of a star-studded bowling attack which have the likes of Lockie Ferguson and Rashid Khan in the team. The tournament entrants have already booked their playoff berth with Shami being the protagonist with the new ball. The Indian quick was bought for Rs 6.25 crores at the IPL 2022 mega auction.
While the pace lynchpin from Bengal is a vital cog in India's wheel, he feels pace express Umran Malik can do without the blazing speed if he gets the ball to swing both ways. The 22-year-old Malik, who is a part of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), has bowled the fastest delivery of the season, clocking the 157 kph mark in the current IPL 2022 campaign.
"He has got incredible pace and a good future but still needs some time to mature, in my opinion. I still believe if you can bowl 140kph and move the ball both ways, then it's enough," Shami explained.
