Can Mohammed Shami Achieve a Record for Wickets?

Mohammed Shami is a name that is synonymous with the Indian cricket team’s fast bowling attack. Shami has been an integral part of the Indian cricket team’s bowling line-up for the past few years, and his impressive performances have earned him several accolades.

This is why despite setting hard to beat records in the past, there’s always a constant talk about whether he’ll be setting new records again soon.

In this article, we will take a closer look at Mohammed Shami’s career and assess whether he’s capable of doing just that.

The Road to Kapil Dev’s Record

Recently, there has been a lot of talk about Mohammed Shami achieving another record for wickets.

The record in question is the most wickets by an Indian fast bowler in Test cricket. The current record is held by Kapil Dev, who took 434 wickets in his Test career. Mohammed Shami is currently 250 wickets behind Kapil Dev’s record, and he would need to maintain his current form and fitness to have a chance of breaking the record.

Breaking Kapil Dev’s record would be a significant achievement for Mohammed Shami. Kapil Dev is one of the greatest cricketers India has ever produced, and breaking his record would put Mohammed Shami in elite company.

 However, breaking the record is easier said than done, and Mohammed Shami would need to overcome several challenges to achieve this feat.

The Challenges Ahead

The first challenge Mohammed Shami would face is his age. He is currently 32 years old, and fast bowlers tend to lose their pace and effectiveness as they get older.

Maintaining his fitness and form will be crucial for Mohammed Shami if he wants to continue playing for India and take wickets consistently. He would need to work hard on his fitness and ensure that he avoids injuries that could hamper his progress.

The second challenge that Mohammed Shami would face is the competition within the Indian fast bowling attack.

India has a wealth of fast bowling talent, and the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, and others are all vying for a place in the team. Mohammed Shami would need to ensure that he continues to perform at his best to keep his place in the team and take wickets consistently.

The third challenge that Mohammed Shami would face is the quality of opposition he will be facing.

Test cricket is a highly competitive format, and facing the best batsmen from around the world can be a daunting task. Shami would need to be at his best to take wickets consistently and help India win matches.

Shami’s Performance in Recent Times

In recent years, Mohammed Shami has been in outstanding form. As of 2023, he has taken 225 wickets in 63 Test matches at an average of 27.48.

His performance in the Test series against Australia in 2020-21 was exceptional, where he took 13 wickets in 4 matches at an average of 29.53, including a match-winning spell in the second Test at Melbourne.

In the home Test series against England in 2021, Shami was once again in top form, taking 11 wickets in 4 matches at an average of 22.81. He was particularly impressive in the first Test at Chennai, where he took 4 wickets in the second innings and played a crucial role in India’s victory.

Shami’s performances in recent times are a testament to his skill as a bowler and his ability to adapt to different conditions. He has been able to take wickets consistently, even on pitches that do not offer much assistance to fast bowlers.

It’s not surprising that he’s one of the favorites that people would side with on 10CRIC, a well known online cricket betting site.

Wrapping Up

Despite some challenges, Mohammed Shami has shown that he has the ability and the temperament to overcome them.

If he can maintain his current form and fitness, there’s simply no reason why he can’t break Kapil Dev’s record and become the leading wicket-taker for India in Test cricket.

Moreover, Shami’s performances in other formats of the game have also been remarkable, and it’s without a doubt that he’s been a crucial member of the Indian cricket team across all formats.

For his ODI performance, his latest scores are 162 wickets in 90 matches. He’s scored 89 innings and an average of 25.98. Meanwhile, he’s participated in 23 T20i matches with 24 wickets and an average of 29.62.

Overall, with his current form and fitness, there is no reason why he cannot achieve another record for wickets and become the leading wicket-taker for India in Test cricket.