Mohammed Shami has been fine-tuning a fresh bowling option just days before Sunrisers Hyderabad take on Lucknow Super Giants. LSG spin bowling coach Carl Crowe revealed that Shami worked on a new variation four days prior to the match, using it to dismiss Abhishek Sharma during the opening stages.
Quick facts
- Carl Crowe said Shami developed a new variation four days before SRH vs LSG.
- Shami, with Bharat Arun, used the variation to get Abhishek Sharma out off the final ball of the first over.
- Crowe spoke on April 8, a day before LSG’s fixture against KKR.
- Against SRH, Shami took wickets in the ninth over as well, dismissing Travis Head using the off-pace option.
- Shami’s spell vs SRH finished 4-0-9-2, noted as the most economical for anyone since IPL 2021.
- Prince Yadav and Avesh Khan also took wickets; Mayank Yadav did not make the XI.
Crowe, speaking on Wednesday, said the work took place at the end of their build-up in Hyderabad, with Bharat Arun involved alongside Shami. He described how the variation made its way into the game plans quickly, with Shami delivering it at the exact moment Lucknow needed a breakthrough.
In the over where Abhishek fell, Crowe explained that the ball came slower and stayed in the air, angling outside the off stump. Abhishek’s attempt produced a thick edge, with the ball carried to short third-man, ending the batter’s stay. Crowe also pointed out that the ball immediately before had seen Shami remove Abhishek at the first slip.
“Would you believe Bharat and Shami worked on a new ball four days before the game, and Shami bowled that ball to dismiss Abhishek?” Crowe said. He added praise for Shami’s willingness to keep learning and adapting even late in his career, highlighting Arun’s role as India’s fast-bowling coach as well.
Crowe’s message was that age is no barrier when it comes to skill development. He said the fact that the two coaches and Shami managed to shape a new option, deliver it correctly under match pressure, and get Abhishek out within four days was evidence not only of Arun’s coaching but also of Shami’s mindset as a senior player who keeps pushing his own game forward.
Shami’s impact continues
Shami’s effectiveness carried beyond the early breakthrough. Crowe noted that Shami completed his spell quota in the ninth over against SRH, again leaning on the off-pace variation to dismiss Travis Head.
His final figures read 4-0-9-2, which Crowe referenced as the most economical spell by any bowler since IPL 2021. The outing underlined how the variation—slower, floating, and difficult to time—fit into Lucknow’s tactics and delivered results repeatedly.
When asked whether Shami would be used at the death or continue mainly in the Powerplay, Crowe avoided a firm forecast. Instead, he stressed the match-up value Shami creates when he is moving the ball, saying that if the seam or swing is available, there are few Indian options who can exploit it better.
Crowe argued that those conditions naturally dictate how the ball should be used, and that the team would lean into Shami’s strengths when the situation suits him. He effectively suggested that Shami’s role is driven by the state of the ball and the conditions rather than by a fixed overs plan.
Squad selection and Mayank Yadav
In the same SRH match, Shami was joined among the wicket-takers by Prince Yadav and Avesh Khan. However, Mayank Yadav was not included in the XI, and Crowe explained that the strength of Lucknow’s pace resources made selection tough.
Crowe said the “luxury” of having a wide spread of fast-bowling options is part of the squad’s beauty, while also insisting that Mayank’s omission does not reflect a lack of respect for his talent. He described Mayank as a bowler with strong potential, but one who currently faces an especially steep challenge to break into the side.
He added that the team currently has eight, nine, or ten seam options competing for roles, making it difficult for any single pacer to force entry. Crowe closed by pointing to the bowling performances in Lucknow’s first two games, calling the attack impressive and reinforcing why the selection picture remains crowded.
