Consistency Key: Mhambrey Stresses Need for Continuity in Shami’s Return
“The staff should talk to Shami and find out what he wants to do. He’s no longer young, so where does he fit in and how many more years does he look to play? How do we use him smartly? I’m sure whoever comes with Gauti will find out how to get the best of Shami,” Mhambrey said in an interview with The Telegraph.
“If Tests are the focus now, then make sure he is in the best shape for the series in Australia. However, what Shami wants and what his body says is paramount. But yes, some cricket is needed before the Australia tour as he has had a long break,” he added.
Fitness Test Not the Only Criteria: Mhambrey Clarifies Importance of Yo-Yo Test
“Individual fitness varies and can’t be of the same level. So, the players have to be treated differently. You can’t compare a Shami with some youngster who has just come in. You have to understand what the value of Shami is. Do you need Shami to do the Yo-Yo or bowl those many balls in a Test and win India the game?” Mhambrey said.
Gambhir’s Take: Fitness Criteria Shouldn’t Be a Concern in Team Selection
“He’s one of the very few bowlers who look forward to playing Test cricket” – Paras Mhambrey on Jasprit Bumrah
Conserving Bumrah’s Brilliance: A Delicate Balance in Indian Cricket
“You’ve got to be smart enough to handle him because he’s one of the very few bowlers who look forward to playing Test cricket. Going forward, there are a lot of Tests to be played alongside securing points for the World Test Championship, and the biggest challenge is in Australia, where you need Jassi at his prime,” Mhambrey said during the aforementioned interview.
“We had to give him a break during that long series (against England), either in the third or fourth Test. We had a chat with him and we said the value of the third Test was very important. And the best part was, he agreed to play that game (in Rajkot) and took a break in the next (in Ranchi),” Mhambrey recalled.