Rohit Sharma-led India outclassed New Zealand in the second ODI to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series at Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium, Raipur on January 21. The bruised and battered Indian bowling lineup feasted on Kiwis on a spicy wicket as they bundled the visitors out for 108 and then won the game by eight wickets with 179 balls to spare. With the victory, the Men in Blue took an assailable 2-0 lead in the three-match ODI series and registered their seventh consecutive bilateral series win against the Black Caps at home.
After the game young pace sensation Umran Malik and veteran paceman Mohammed Shami came together for an intriguing chat, the video of which was shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Umran asked an interesting question of Shami, quizzing the seasoned bowler about the secret behind the calm and composed demeanour in crunch situations.
"When you are playing the country, you shouldn't take pressure on yourself," Shami said in a video shared in Twitter by the BCCI.
"You should keep in mind that you should keep trusting your skills, you can tend to get carried away when under pressure. But, when you keep your cool and keep trusting your skills, you have better opportunity to execute your plans. When you are doing well, then the importance of focussing is more.
"Keep your smile on, it's white-ball cricket, anybody can get hit. But keep believing in your skill and keep an eye on the pitch and bowl accordingly," he added.
After revealing his secret, Shami lauded Umran's potential and highlighted one area where the latter needs to work on in order to reach the top.
"You have a lot of spirit. Your future is great, my best wishes to you. One advice for you, you have a lot of pace and it's not easy playing it. Just focus on your line and length a bit more, when you get that in control, you can be on top of the world," Shami added.
The Men in Blue will now lock horns against the Kiwis in a dead-rubber third ODI on January 24 (Tuesday) at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
