Mohammed Shami’s impact for Lucknow Super Giants against Sunrisers Hyderabad was shaped as much by preparation as by execution, with the newly developed variation playing a decisive role in Abhishek Sharma’s dismissal.
Lucknow Super Giants spin bowling coach Carl Crowe revealed that the delivery was being worked on just a few days before the match after consultation with bowling coach Bharat Arun.
“(Bowling coach) Bharat Arun and Shami worked on a variation of the new ball four days before the match. He used that very ball to dismiss Abhishek,” Crowe said.
Shami tweaked his field by moving deep third man to deep point and followed it up with a yorker on the leg stump line. With the batter ready, he then went wider and slower on the last ball of the over, drawing Abhishek into a drive that produced a thick outside edge to short third man.
Mohammed Shami strikes again in his next over, he removed Travis Head and strengthened his grip on the innings as Sunrisers Hyderabad were restricted to 156 for 9. Shami finished with figures of 2 for 9 in four overs, including 18 dot balls, as Lucknow Super Giants secured their first win of the season by five wickets.
The outing added to Shami’s strong run this season, following a prolific domestic campaign for Bengal in which he took 68 wickets across formats. Despite this, he remains out of India’s white-ball plans under coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar, even as calls grow for his return with a view to the 2027 World Cup.
Crowe emphasized that Shami’s approach to skill development is crucial to his continued effectiveness.
“I think for all of us, young and old cricketers, you are never too old to learn a new skill. The fact that he picked up that skill in just four days, implemented it in a match and took a wicket is a testament not only to Bharat’s coaching but also to Mohammed Shami’s mindset.
“As an older player, he’s still very willing to develop new skills and push his game forward. That mindset is fantastic.”
Crowe also pointed to the influence of captain Rishabh Pant, describing him as a leader who creates space for bowlers to express their thoughts.
“I’d say he definitely empowers his pitchers. He’s very willing to listen to their opinions in team meetings and is interested in understanding their perspectives and plans. Personally, I really warm to him.”
“One thing that he does really nicely, it might not seem like much, is when he walks into a room as a captain, he says ‘hello’ to every single person and shakes their hand. As a leader, it makes you feel welcome and like you belong, and I really like that about him.”
He added that Pant’s leadership style is evident in the way he deals with players on and off the field.
“From what I’ve seen so far, he’s definitely a step-up captain of the first-tier players. Of course, he still leads and offers suggestions when needed. As a goalkeeper, it can be difficult when you’re 30 yards back to run up to the bowler and give advice, but he’s got experienced players like Aiden and Nicholas around him to help him do that.”
“Rishabh has really impressed me. He genuinely wants the team to do well. I once heard him say, ‘What else can I do for the team?’ When your leader thinks like that, the players naturally follow him,” he said.
Crowe also played down concerns over Mayank Yadav’s absence and pointed to the depth in the squad.
“Obviously Mayank is a fantastic bowler, but at the moment we have eight, nine, even ten quality seamers. It’s very difficult to get into that,” he added.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
08 Apr 2026 20:42 IST
