22 October - Dharamsala - India player Mohammed Shami post-match press conference
[Reporter:]
When you came for bowling, the wicket was not helping you so much. So, do you keep thinking that I will play what I know – hold the seam and bowl. How do you do that?
[Mohammed Shami:]
No, I know a lot, but... I know everything, but it depends on what your role is, what the conditions are. You have to see everything because when the ball is not coming out of the wicket, you have to focus on the line of length. And the result is in front of you.
[Reporter:]
Tell us about the five wickets.
[Mohammed Shami:]
Yes, you ask about that.
[Reporter:]
Which wicket did you like?
[Mohammed Shami:]
All the wickets are good. When you play for the country, I feel every wicket is important for you. They say that every point [wicket] in building of wickets that you compile is useful. As such, I don't like any particular wicket more [each wicket is valuable] I enjoy all my wickets.
[Reporter:]
Rohit as a captain always talks about clarity of roles. You were playing your first match in the World Cup. So, what were you told before that – that you should be ready? Are you in the first choice or not? So, if you could tell us a little bit about this when you were on the bench in the last three matches.
[Mohammed Shami:]
I was watching everything on the bench. I will do something only when I am given the chance. But yes, it is very important. When you are not playing, it is very difficult. But if your team is performing, your boys are moving in a rhythm, then I don't think you should feel guilty sitting outside. Because you are also a part of the team and a part of the World Cup. I think everyone should enjoy each other’s success.
[Reporter:]
We read somewhere that you have built a cricket facility in your hometown, where you were training. Can you tell us about that? Because when you were preparing for the World Cup, you were taking a rest during the West Indies tour.
[Mohammed Shami:]
That's a good thing, you read it. It's very important because I have prepared those facilities for myself and my younger brother who is playing from Bengal. I prepared them before the lockdown [covid times] because there was a lot of noise that lockdown is going to be imposed, I knew that there would be no scope to go anywhere and it would not be safe to go anywhere so I thought it would be better to build that facility at the farmhouse.
I ordered everything quickly and got it ready in a month so by the time lockdown was imposed, all the facilities were completed and I think there is a lot of benefit because when you go home, I think mostly the boys take off, because sometimes it happens that when you are busy for 12 months, you get relaxed after going home. I feel that I don't get relaxed after going home. I get more relaxed there. Because the boys start pushing more. They come to meet that we will also play together. So, there is extra practice. So, I think that's better.
[Reporter:]
Before the match it was being said that both the teams haven’t lost any match, but New Zealand’s pace attack, Boult, Henry or Ferguson's is the best attack, best pace attack in the conditions. You weren't part of this attack. But Bumrah, Siraj, and you, this was also a point that India's attack, at least in terms of pace bowlers, is the best in this performance.
[Mohammed Shami:]
Did you get the result of whose pace attack is good, whose spinner attack is good? The results are in front of you. When the top 2 teams of the tournament are playing, how they play doesn’t matter, but their team – how they have played the game matters.
Number 1 and number 2 players don’t have much difference. But when two top teams are playing, I think the [previous] results don’t matter. Their game [on the day] matters. How you played that game. Because there's not much difference between the number one and number two teams. Players are good when you are selected in the World Cup. I think you should look at the game, the innings, the fielding, how you have bowled. That matters more in this stage. Because you are 1 and 2. I don't think there is much difference. The one who does well, wins the match.
[Reporter:]
As a bowling unit, did you have a target in mind to give them this much run or in this match? Or did you have a figure in mind?
[Mohammed Shami:]
No, it's not like that. When you start, it's very important that you get a good start for your team. That's your role. Our bowlers have chosen the right areas, and they have been in the right area. We did well and we restricted them, and the result is in front of you.
[Reporter:]
I wanted to ask you something. You explained it very well, that even though you were out of the team, you were doing well, so you didn't feel bad. But still, how did you explain this to yourself? How did you make it work?
[Mohammed Shami:]
Personally, I keep my outlook as – you keep enjoying. Because in India the biggest sport is cricket. The biggest place is the place where you are sitting. It's not necessary to be there [in playing XI]. You have 15 players. Four of them have to stay out. So, by being positive and enjoying, I feel you will get more results.
So, I always think to myself, I am not here today, I will be here tomorrow. If not tomorrow, then day after tomorrow. They do come in rotation. And when your time comes, you contribute for the team. I think in that way that the one who is performing now, be happy with that. That's it.
[Reporter:]
It's been five wins. There's a week's break before the next match. So, is it important for the team to stay away from cricket for the next 2-3 days and refresh? How do you see the next 2-3 days break?
[Mohammed Shami:]
See, first of all, recovery is very important. When you play continuous matches, recovery becomes very important. But you think, or the outside world thinks, that cricketers get separated when they rest for eight days. That's not true. Cricketers can't be separated because you always want to be better and better. So, there are always some activities related to cricket. Practice activities, some games, football. You keep playing. So, it's important. There's no off. There's never an off.
[Reporter:]
Sir, if we talk about today's match, India won toss and then decided to bowl.
Again, after that, when it was the second time, when it was New Zealand's batting, then the fog was more in the field. Can it be said that India has got the benefit of bowling second?
[Mohammed Shami:]
See, if you win, people say this. When you lose, they go the other way. I always feel this way. But it's good because obviously, batting second helps and bowling does benefit when you are bowling during the day. But I would repeat that, if we had spoiled the bowling, then the same decision would have been wrong, why did we bowl. Whenever you bowl, you always look for a good area. And whenever you bowl in a good area, you will definitely get results. So, my belief is that whether you put it in the day or in the evening, you will have to hit a good area.
[Reporter:]
Just a month ago in the Australia ODI, you took 5 wickets in Mohali. Even then you said that the rhythm is a little more important. But if you could tell us a little bit about that rhythm, that within a month, you play less games, but you took out 10 wickets in two innings. How are you maintaining that rhythm?
And second, if you could tell us a little bit about outfield, did you feel any concern as a fielding unit, today, while fielding
[Mohammed Shami:]
As a fielding unit outfield? You have seen how the outfield has been. There is no complaint because it was the same for both the teams. We cannot say anything to the groundsman because he is helpless, its his job, he tries very hard. I don't think it is not good to put a question mark on someone.
But the situation and the condition is the same for both the teams. Both have to play. In India and abroad, there are up and downs. Sometimes they play on wet grounds. Sometimes we play on dry grounds. No complaints. The better the players, the better.
[Reporter:]
These days you don't get so many opportunities to watch Jasprit and Siraj in full rhythm. I enjoyed watching them today. I Just wanted to know, the camaraderie, the rivalry in the team, is it visible? Are medals being won? Are people happy in the team? It's a very good atmosphere right now, tell us about that and also a bit of bonding.
[Mohammed Shami:]
When you talk about bonding – it’s very important that we have repeated so many time, that you should always play as a unit, they are second and third partners. We have repeated this a lot in the Test match as well. That yes, there were three people in the first unit, Siraj was also in it, Bumrah was also added. So, we have a good package. You get to see it. You get the pace. You get to see the aggression. As far as enjoying is concerned, I have told you before, that if you enjoy the success of others, you will get better results. And the medal of the dressing room as well, I believe we will get one today as well once we return to dressing room.