India vs New Zealand | Mohammed Shami not thinking too far ahead about his World Cup selection

With players like Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar doing well in ODIs for the Indian team, Shami is now considered as the third proper seamer in the Indian team. Meanwhile, on the current New Zealand tour, with Bumrah being rested, Shami is sharing the new ball along with Bhuvneshwar and he proved his worth with a brilliant three-for in the series opener today.

With the team management having an eye on the World Cup, which is scheduled to be starting from May 30 in England and Wales, the pacer is almost certain to get a ticket to England. Shami had made a comeback into the Indian ODI side last year during the series against the Windies after some good show in the longest format of the game. 

"I am not thinking too far ahead. It depends on my fitness and performance when the team is picked. As I said, we have the best bowling unit. They can pick anyone," Shami said at the post-match press conference, reported PTI. 

"It has been a long journey. I played the 2015 World Cup, then got injured and it took me two years to recover. After the rehab, I made it to the 2016 World T20 squad. Then after a while, I got full confidence and felt like I was back on track.”

The 28-year-old pacer had an instrumental role to play in the historic series win in Australia has he picked up 16 wickets in the four-match series - being third behind Bumrah and Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon. Shami has been doing well in red-ball cricket while his recent performance in Australia and New Zealand with the white ball is definitely a positive sign for the Indian team management. 

"You saw in 2018, I played regular Test cricket. The confidence level is very high, I am bowling with the same speed that I used to earlier. Hope I can continue this," the pacer informed. 

"I like Test cricket more than other formats. The way we have done in the last three-four series (as a bowling unit), it does your confidence a world of good. If the bowling unit is delivering, the pressure is divided and that helps you give your best." 

Shami was too hot to handle for the Kiwi openers in the Napier ODI as he wreaked havoc from the initial overs. Shami got both Martin Guptill and Colin Munro bowled with the scoreboard reading only 18 for the home team in today’s game. Shami also got rid of Mitchell Santner and ended with figures of 3/19 in six overs. 

"It was a high-scoring pitch. Your line and length has got to be accurate. You have to be really disciplined, especially with the smaller grounds in New Zealand,” the Bengal paceman concluded. 

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