You shouldn’t feel low if not in playing XI: Shami

MOHALI: “When I was playing regularly, there must have been someone, who had to sit out and I wasn’t guilty. So you can’t feel low if you are sitting out because the team is winning,” a pragmatic Mohammed Shami said when asked about the sporadic chances he has been getting in 50-over cricket of late.

The Indian team management has indicated that when it plays full strength during the upcoming World Cup, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj will be the two front-line pacers. But after his match-winning figures of 5 for 51, Shami said that rotation isn’t a bad thing when you play so many matches on the bounce.

“This is the team’s plan and it is important to stick with it. You can’t always be in the playing XI because a lot depends on the team combination,” Shami said. “If you are playing, well and good and if you are not in the playing XI, then you should be supportive of those, who are playing. I think there is no point feeling low and I am ready to play the role the team gives me,” Shami said.

He was also asked if he approves of this rotation policy where he has to sit out. “What you are trying to know is beyond my comprehension but obviously when you build a team, (the) coach has a role to rotate players and, based on the situation, it is decided,” Shami said with a wry smile.

He made it clear that rotation before a big event like the World Cup is a good thing. “You have seen we have (had) got results due to rotation and I believe before the World Cup, you shouldn’t put too much workload in back-to-back games, and it’s going well and we are getting good results.”