Mohammed Shami breaks Quinton de Kock’s stumps on Day 5 of the 1st Test between India and South Africa. Shami took 5 wickets in the innings, four of them bowled dismissals. (PTI Photo)
Mohammed Shami scripted a rare feat for a pacer on the final day of the 1st Test between India and South Africa in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. He finished the day with figures of 5/35, as South Africa collapsed for 191, losing by 203 runs. This is the first time since Lance Klusener in 1996 that a pacer has taken five wickets in the fourth innings of a Test in India.
Shami on 🔥🔥🔥#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/nruaPwW1kt
— BCCI (@BCCI) October 6, 2019
In fact, his figures of 5/35 are the sixth-best by any pacer in the fourth innings of a Test in India. Lance Kluserner (8/64 in 1996), Javagal Srinath (6/21 in 1996), Vanburn Holder (6/39 in 1974), Madan Lal (1981) and Karsan Ghavri (1977) are the only other pacers in history with better 4th innings returns in India.
Shami also became one of only five Indian pacers to take a five-for in the fourth innings of a Test at home, the others being Ghavri, Lal, Kapil Dev and Srinath.
Also, four of Shami’s five wickets were bowled dismissals – the second time in Tests an Indian pacer has done this. The previous time this happened was the recent series in West Indies, when Jasprit Bumrah got four wickets via bowled dismissals.
Mohammed Shami is by far India’s best bowler in the second innings in recent times. The right-arm seamer has a SR of 41.4 (v 60.6 in the first innings). Of all bowlers to have bowled 300+ overs in the second innings since 2013, only three players have a lower strike rate. #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/zNZEWguQKj
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) October 6, 2019
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An analysis of Shami’s bowling figures in Tests shows a peculiar trait for a pacer – he is more effective in the second innings than in the first. He averages 30.1 in the first innings, but a drastically lower 19.6 in the second innings.
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