Veteran wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik believes Team India is missing senior pacer Mohammed Shami in the ongoing Boxing Day Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion. Karthik said that Shami would have done well with the ball on the seam-friendly Centurion surface.
Notably, Dean Elgar hit a brilliant hundred as South African batters dominated on Day 2 with India managing to take five wickets. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj each took two wickets, while debutant Prasidh Krishna took one.
In the ongoing Boxing Day Test against South Africa, Dinesh Karthik states that India is missing Mohammed Shami’s services. Despite good performances from Bumrah and Siraj, Karthik believes Shami’s skills would have been useful on the seam-friendly Centurion surface.
| SA vs IND, 1st Test Score |
“The man has grown in stature as a bowler and as a leader of the pack. He is an able lieutenant to Jasprit Bumrah. You can imagine with the upright seam on this kind of pitch. I promise you, he would have definitely gotten a few wickets. The Indian team really misses him,” Karthik said while speaking on Cricbuzz.
Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of India’s two-match Test series against South Africa owing to an ankle injury. Karthik noted that while Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj bowled good spells on Day 2, they were not adequately supported by Prasidh Krishna and Shardul Thakur.
“Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna going for close to 118 runs in their 27 overs. On the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj going for just 111 in their 31 overs. Siraj was a tad bit expensive, especially in the last spell, they also bowled some brilliant balls. You could see every time they were on, you got the feeling that they could get you a wicket or two. Whereas with Shardul or Prasidh, you had to wait for a batter to make a mistake,” Karthik added.
