'Five-star' Mohammed Shami shows his class as India restrict Australia to 276
Mohammed Shami displayed his artistry with impressive figures of 5 for 51, reminding all and sundry of his skills while helping India restrict Australia to 276 in the first ODI here on Friday. Shami, who doesn't seem to feature in India's first XI plans for the World Cup, literally made a statement with his second five-wicket haul in ODIs.
His performance also put tremendous pressure on the weakest link among pacers Shardul Thakur (0/78 in 10 overs), who has been selected in the 15, primarily due to his batting skills.
Shardul would consider himself unlucky that Shreyas Iyer dropped a dolly at mid-off when David Warner had hardly got off the blocks.
In conditions conducive for batting, India skipper KL Rahul opted to bowl and Shami was literally unplayable in his opening spell, and then came back to remove a set Steve Smith (41 off 60 balls) in a short second stint, to disturb the visiting team's momentum.
Stockily built wicketkeeper Jos Inglis (45 off 45 balls) and Marcus Stoinis (29 off 21 balls) added 62 runs for the sixth wicket to take Australia past 250-run mark but it was certainly below par as Shami got Stoinis in the nick of time to put the brakes on their scoring.
Warner (52 off 53 balls), Smith and Marnus Labuschagne (39 off 49 balls) all got starts but the lack of conversion did hurt the Aussies on a day when the Indian bowling unit was supremely effective without being exceptional.
All eyes were trained on Ravichandran Ashwin (1/47 in 10 overs) and he did find his rhythm in the second spell after looking rusty during the first spell.
