India Star Siraj Loses His Place to Watson in 2023 World Cup

In the absence of all-rounder Hardik Pandya, veteran pacer Mohammed Shami is eager to give the Indian think tank some new headaches. Former Australian cricket player Shane Watson is certain that the standout fast bowler for the Men in Blue has proven himself unstoppable in the ICC World Cup. In the 2023 ICC World Cup, vice captain Pandya’s ankle injury opened the door for Shami and Suryakumar Yadav to make their debuts in the Indian XI.

In India’s pivotal encounter against New Zealand, Shami and Suryakumar replaced an injured Pandya and all-rounder Shardul Thakur. Both men kept their spots for the crucial match against England. While Suryakumar, a middle-order batsman, hit 49 off 47 balls, bowler Shami destroyed the England team at Lucknow, taking four wickets at a record-breaking rate. Before he went on the rampage against the reigning champs, speed star Shami had won the match against New Zealand.

Shami has assumed Siraj’s position

Speaking to Star Sports regarding Shami’s incredible return to the Indian XI, former Australian all-rounder Watson stated that the speedster had even taken Mohammed Siraj’s spot in the starting lineup. “That’s a serious issue facing India. That indicates a highly performing team where every member is giving it their all and performing at the highest level. The way that he has bowled in the last two games, in my opinion, has cemented his place above Siraj. “He’s been amazing,” Watson said.

A cursory look at Shami’s outstanding World Cup record

In the 50-over ICC World Cup, senior pacer Shami had the lowest bowling average (minimum 20 wickets). On the elite list, the fast bowler is ranked ahead of players like Shaheen Afridi, Shane Bond, Michael Holding, and Geoff Allott. The 32-year-old is third among Indian wicket-takers in the World Cup’s 50-over format. In 13 innings, Shami has claimed 40 wickets for the two-time world champions. At the World Cup, Shami has taken more wickets than only two former Indian pacers, Zaheer Khan (44) and JavagaL Srinath .

Shami at his finest…

“Shami is just so hard to play against England, as we saw when he was performing at his peak. He is capable of outlasting any batter both inside and out. And it always hits the stumps because of how exact his length is. He asks inquiries in there all the time. Unfortunately, Hardik was hurt when he fell. However, that meant that Shami had a chance, and in my opinion, his bowling has improved over Siraj’s, said Watson.

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