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'Need to back playing XI': Mohammed Shami refrains from commenting on criticism of India's team selection in 3rd Test
But India fast bowler Mohammed Shami believes that there is a need to back the playing XI that has been selected by the team management. Shami refrained from speaking further on the criticism of team selection.
With India in a precarious position in the third Test after two days of play, several questions are being raised on the team selection. The Virat Kohli-led side were bundled out for 78 in the first innings, and by the close of Day 2, England have taken a mammoth lead of 345 runs, and still have two wickets in hand.
Fans and cricket pundits are questioning not including off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the team - with Indian bowlers being struggling to get quick wickets in the match. Ashwin was one of the best bowlers for India in the World Test Championship final in July against New Zealand where he picked three wickets.
The off-spinner also had a county stint with Surrey before the start of the England series where he picked a fifer and finished the match with six wickets.
But India fast bowler Mohammed Shami believes that there is a need to back the playing XI that has been selected by the team management. Shami refrained from speaking further on the criticism of team selection.
“I would not like to comment on the selection. That’s a team management decision. The XI that’s there on the field will have to do the job. We need to back and they need to win the game.
"You can’t think of it [selection] too much. We need to trust the XI that the team management has picked, and believe in their skill to pull off a good result," he said at the virtual press conference after Day 2.
India are currently leading 1-0 in the five-match series, and Shami also said that there is no need to lose morale as there is a lot of series still left to play.
"It's nothing like mentally, we have finished the game in three days and even two days too. There comes a time when it is your bad day but there is no point in getting our morale down.
"There are two matches left and we are 1-0 up in the series. We have to believe in our skills and back ourselves," he signed off.
