IPL will set the momentum for Oz tour: Shami

Once IPL 2020 comes to a close on November 10, the Australia-bound India players will fly directly from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the much-anticipated tour. “It will be great to see the players compete in IPL. It will set the body and momentum perfectly,” Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) pace spearhead Shami told PTI.

India, under Virat Kohli, achieved the historic feat of winning in Australia for the first time in 2018-19, but the host did not have Steve Smith and David Warner back then because of their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal. The duo’s presence would make the upcoming series more exciting and Shami said that everyone has their eyes on the tour. “It is better that we will play IPL before a big series. Apart from IPL, everyone is focussed on the tour Down Under. There is a lot of talk about the series. We will have a good contest,” he added. With IPL shifted to UAE, the tournament will be held in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah, comprising 60 matches spread over 53 days.

Shami said that the 13th edition of the event would be less hectic as the players need not fly all over the country for away games. “Yes, there are back-to-back matches and training. That is a bit of a headache. But, it is a short format where there should be no workload issue. This time, there won’t be much travel.”

With Ravichandran Ashwin joining Delhi Capitals (DC), Shami is ready to shoulder more responsibility. “I always try to stand up to the role. Being a strike bowler, it is important to take key wickets. They give huge relief to the team,” said Shami.