Unhappy Mohammed Shami Calls Out Prasidh Krishna, Siraj; Urges Support For Jasprit Bumrah

Veteran Indian pacer Mohammed Shami has expressed disappointment over India's bowling performance in the opening Test against England at Headingley, where the hosts secured a convincing five-wicket victory. Chasing 371, England pulled off their second-highest successful run chase in Test history, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

While Jasprit Bumrah emerged as India's standout performer with a five-wicket haul in the first innings, the rest of the bowling attack struggled to contain runs, conceding at over 4.5 runs per over across both innings. The second innings saw Bumrah go wicketless as England adopted a cautious approach against him while attacking the other bowlers.

Reflecting on India's lacklustre display, Shami emphasized the need for greater cohesion in the bowling unit and urged the other pacers to collaborate more closely with Bumrah.

"In bowling, other Indian bowlers should talk to Bumrah and learn from him. They should talk about planning with him and support him. If they will support Bumrah, then we can easily win the match. If I talk about the first match, then I think we need to do a little work in the bowling," Shami said on his official YouTube channel.

He also pointed out that the wickets taken by Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna in the second innings did little to change the course of the game, as England were already well on track to victory. Highlighting the value of breakthroughs with the new ball, Shami added:

"Shardul Thakur and Prasidh Krishna picked up two wickets each in the 2nd innings, but by the time Shardul dismissed two England batters, the match was out of India's reach. It is very important to take wickets with the new ball. They must support Bumrah. England won the first Test because we gave too many easy runs. We need to find out how to make our bowling side strong."

Currently sidelined due to fitness concerns, Shami is not part of the Indian squad for this tour. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar had earlier confirmed that the pacer was not deemed fit to endure the rigors of a five-Test series.

In his absence, left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh has earned his maiden Test call-up. Arshdeep, who recently featured in county cricket for Kent, could be in line for a debut in the second Test at Edgbaston, especially with doubts lingering over Bumrah's availability due to workload management.