NEW DELHI: Mohammed Shami’s remarkable 6/56 in Perth is one of his standout performances, showcasing his lethal bowling ability in pace-friendly conditions.
Known for his impressive Test record in Australia, particularly on bouncy tracks like Perth’s, Shami was the star in the second Test between India and Australia in December 2018.
6/56 are not only Shami’s best bowling figures, but also the fourth best figures by an Indian bowler in Australia at that time.
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When India captain Virat Kohli opted to field four pacers in the second Test in Perth, it was Shami, at his furious best, who shone the brightest amongst the Indian seamers.
Shami went wicketless in the first innings but in the second innings ripped through Australia’s lower middle-order. He was on a hat-trick at one point – having dismissed Tim Paine and Aaron Finch off successive deliveries.
It was thanks mainly to Shami’s career-best haul of 6/56 that India were able to bowl out Australia for 243 runs in their second innings.
But the match slipped from India’s grasp due to the lack of a balanced bowling attack – a glaring lapse even Shami had admitted to.
India failed to chase down the 287-run target and lost the match by 146 runs.
This was the only Test that India lost on that tour as they went on to win the 4-match Test series 2-1. It was their first Test series triumph on Australian soil.
In this spell, Shami’s consistency with pace and movement off the seam troubled the Australian batsmen. Taking advantage of the Perth pitch, known for its pace and bounce, Shami’s 6/56 highlighted his skill in extracting the best out of such conditions, targeting the stumps, and delivering at a high pace, that made him a potent force in such scenarios.
This performance underscored why Shami remains one of India’s top pace bowlers, especially on overseas tours.
