Zee Media Bureau/Suyash Srivastava
Ranchi: Mohammad Shami came as a huge relief for MS Dhoni and the Indian pace attack in the 4th ODI, as he picked three key wickets to restrict Australia under 300 runs for first time in the seven-match series.
He wasn’t Dhoni’s first choice ahead of the series, but with regular pacers leaking plenty of runs, the Indian skipper had no other option but to play the right-arm pacer from West Bengal.
And Shami didn’t disappoint his skipper as he dismissed Australia’s in-form openers – Aaron Finch and Philip Hughes in his first three overs. Shami also went on to dismiss dangerous Shane Watson for just 14 runs.
Had the Indian fielders held onto to a couple of catches, Shami would have claimed his first five-wicket haul in ODIs. Virat Kohli missed on an easy chance when George Bailey played his first ball of the innings straight towards him at third slip. The chance cost India dearly as the Australian skipper went on to score 98 runs. Dhawan too dropped a catch off Shami’s bowling at mid-off when Faulkner mistimed a low full-toss high in the air.
Surprisingly, Dhoni didn’t make the best use of Shami who ended up bowling just 8 overs by the end of the Australian innings.
