The rise and rise of Mohammed Shami, in his own words
The journey from a small town in Uttar Pradesh to the maidans in Kolkata and all the way to the Indian national team has been no less than a fairytale for Mohammad Shami. All that the pacer now wants is his reverse swing to bowl over batsmen in South Africa. After all, there is no sound better than ball on timber, Shami tells sports.ndtv.com.
- Soumitra Bose
- Updated: December 01, 2013 07:11 PM IST
For Mohammed Shami, 2013 has been a watershed year. After making a memorable Test debut at the Eden Gardens during Sachin Tendulkar's 199th Test in November, the Bengal pacer is now a hot celebrity. In a city where Sourav Ganguly still remains the No. 1 sport personality, Shami is not far behind. The local TV channels chase him for sound bites, the paparazzi follow his every move and the officer at south Kolkata's Regional Transport Office is happy to issue Shami an out-of-turn international driving license as a special case. ÂÂ
Ever since he landed in Kolkata in 2006 from an obscure village in Uttar Pradesh to pursue his dreams as a cricketer, Shami has battled life's odds. From earning a paltry 'salary' of Rs 500 per match day to sleeping inside a club tent on the vast Kolkata Maidan, Shami never lost focus: to bowl fast and rattle the wickets. The sound of timber gives him a kick. "I love it when the ball crashes onto the stumps. B-A-N-G... the sound is like tonic," Shami told sports.ndtv.com in an exclusive chat before flying out to Johannesburg for the ODI and Test series against South Africa. (Also read: When Shami reminded Ganguly of Waqar Younis)
For this gangling youngster, pushing 24, it's been a stunning rags-to-riches story as 2013 has proven to be a turning point in his life both on and off the cricket pitch. Shami, whose father runs a spare-parts business in Sahaspur, about 20 kilometres from Moradabad, is the most talked-about pacer in Indian cricket today. With success (32 international wickets from two Tests and 17 ODIs) has come prosperity. He now owns a two-bedroom apartment in a posh south Kolkata locality. With fortune has come a distinct shift in outlook - Shami has just booked a luxury international branded sedan, an 'improvement' on the hatchback he has been driving for the last four years. Deep inside, Shami remains a shy young man, fame and fortune yet to make him walk 100 feet tall. The only hint of arrogance comes through when he talks about his bowling. When he wants to knock over a batsman, this guy has attitude. Excerpts from an exclusive conversation:
Q: It's been a fabulous few weeks for you. A Test debut on Sachin Tendulkar's 199th Test and a nine-wicket haul to start with in front of 35,000 people at Eden...wow!
A: Yes, it's been a superb start and it's all because the effort I have put in for six long years. I have really worked hard and Allah has blessed me. I couldn't have asked for a better Test debut.
Q: You replaced Ishant Sharma in the line-up and responded very well to the team management's faith in you. Mentally you must have been prepared.
A: Whether you are in the squad or not, you have to be prepared to play. Every game for me, even if it's a club match, is a challenge. I just give my best and Allah takes care of the rest. Of course, to make my Test debut in Tendulkar's 199th match was a special occasion. The fans were chanting my name -- Shami, Shami - as well. It was really fantastic.
Q: How do you look back at your career? You started with a second division club team (Dalhousie AC) and then climbed your way up. The journey must have been tough.
A: My parents and elder brother (Haseeb) agreed to send me to Kolkata because opportunities in my hometown were very limited. I am fortunate that my family always backed me and we were aware that it will not be easy. In Kolkata, I was at least playing league cricket, bowling in matches and getting wickets. I met good club officials who knew Bengal cricket well and charted the best roadmap for me. After Dalhousie, I played for Town and then Mohun Bagan. The move to Mohun Bagan was a career-changing one because Bagan were a big team and the officials had clout. So my performances got noticed and I broke into the Ranji Trophy squad in November 2010.
Q: How important was it to play for Kolkata Knight Riders?
A: I think coming in contact with Wasim Akram (KKR bowling coach) in 2011 was a big boon. He gave me a lot of tips on how to use an old ball. That he is a legend and one of the finest exponents of seam and swing was clear when Wasimbhai used to share his experience. I have learnt a lot from him.
Q: You seem to be some kind of reverse-swing specialist. Are you conscious about this aspect of your bowling?
A: My strengths are line and length but if I can reverse the ball at speed (Shami clocks 140 kmph-plus) it becomes dangerous. Yes, you can call me a reverse-swing specialist and I love to bowl with an old ball. It's an art to do so and my experience of Maidan cricket has actually helped. In most Kolkata grounds with dry and rough outfields, the ball loses its shine quickly. So you have to nurse the ball well and learn how to move it around. Reverse swing comes naturally to me.
Q: Your reverse swing is becoming a killer ball. Most of your nine wickets on Test debut came from a ball that reversed.
A: Yes, it is. It I can pitch it right and with speed, any top batsman will be in trouble. That's going to be my main weapon on South African wickets. If I get a chance to play, I want to knock their top batsmen over. I love it when the stumps go cart-wheeling. It gives me a kick.
Q: Eleven wickets in your first two Tests and a full series coming up in South Africa, a country where fast bowlers tend to prosper. You must be excited.
A: This is going to be my third time in South Africa and I have some idea about their wickets. I have no target in mind. Whenever I play, I am hungry for wickets. If you pitch it right, the wickets will come.
Q: Any batsmen you will target?
A: (Hashim) Amla and (Jacques) Kallis will be the men to watch out for. And, of course, AB (De Villiers). I have been seeing their videos. Let's see how it goes.
Q: Apparently, your father was also a fast bowler?
A: Yes, he played village cricket and bowled fast. My dad (Tousif Ali) and my elder brother (Haseeb) gave me the confidence to go out of Sahaspur and play cricket in an alien land (Kolkata) at the age of 16. Whatever I have achieved so far is because of them and my coach (Badruddin Siddique).
Q: Now that you have international bowling coaches to guide you, do you feel the necessity to speak to your first coach (Badruddin)?
A: After my family, if there is one man who has inspired me, it has to be my coach. He watches (on TV) every ball I bowl. When I got four wickets in the first innings at Eden, my coach didn't call to praise me but identify the "ganda" (bad) deliveries I bowled. His precise post-mortem helps me correct my game and know my limits.
Q: The only pacer who is a certainty in the Test and ODI teams is perhaps you. Isn't that great?
A: The year 2013 has been fulfilling. When I made my ODI debut in January (versus Pakistan), I never imagined I will be playing Test cricket for India as well. Today, I find myself on both squads. While it's unbelievable, it also instills a sense of responsibility in me. Inshallah, I want to continuously do well for India. Otherwise, all the sacrifices and hard work will go waste.