Mohammed Shami is currently at the top of his game. The fast bowler took five wickets in the 2023 World Cup as India dominated Sri Lanka, winning by 302 runs in Mumbai on Thursday, November 2.
Mohammed Shami made his ODI debut in January 2013 against Pakistan and has had an excellent career with the national team. He has played 97 matches in the 50-over format, taking 185 wickets at an average of 24.08 and an economy rate of 5.54.
Where does Mohammed Shami rank among the finest to ever represent the Men in Blue in the format? He’s arguably at the absolute top, with multiple circumstances working in his favour.
Here are three reasons why Mohammed Shami is India’s best ODI bowler of all time.
1. Mohammed Shami Shines in All Phases of Bowling in a High-Scoring Era
Mohammed Shami is India’s ninth-highest ODI wicket-taker. Only Ravindra Jadeja is still active among the players above him. Only Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan had careers that spanned the decade.
Those ahead of Shami on the list played in a 50-over game that was kinder to the bowlers. They all had their MLB debuts in the 1990s (Zaheer in 2000), when run-scoring was slower and the game wasn’t as tilted in favour of the batters.
Mohammed Shami is part of a batting-dominant period in which he is put to the test by elements beyond his control, such as changed field limitations and two new balls. And, unlike Jadeja, he is a bowler who can – and does – bowl at all stages of an innings. It is a credit to his flexibility that he is still trustworthy with the new ball, in the middle overs, and at the death even at the age of 33.
Few bowlers who have represented India in ODIs can claim of the same abilities. Jasprit Bumrah is undoubtedly one among them, although Shami outperforms him in a few areas – more on that later.
2. Shami’s ODI Stats Speak for His Excellence
As mentioned earlier, Mohammed Shami is India’s ninth-highest wicket-taker in ODIs. But that doesn’t paint the entire picture. Among the top 15 wicket-takers for the Indian cricket team in the format, Shami has the best average (24.08) by a significant difference, with no one apart from Kuldeep Yadav (25.67) having a figure less than 27. And among the top 35, only Bumrah has a better average.
The experienced fast bowler’s strike rate of 26.07 is also the highest among bowlers with more than 20 ODI wickets for India. Even Bumrah and Kuldeep, who are comparable in other categories, have 30.43 and 30.33, respectively.
That reflects Shami’s depth and versatility – in modern-day ODI cricket, bowling average is perhaps the most crucial statistic, potentially narrowly edging out economy rate. The strike rate isn’t far behind.
Shami also owns the most five-wicket hauls in Indian cricket history, with four. The data obviously point to his being the best in the country in the format. More crucially, the following may help him fight with – and maybe edge out – another competitor in Bumrah.
3. Shami Delivered Sensational Performances in the World Cup
Great performances, even if they span a full ODI career, don’t signify much in Indian cricket circles if they don’t occur in high-profile contests. Whether it is deserved or not is another thing entirely, but fortunately for Mohammed Shami, he has stood up when it has counted the most.
Shami became India’s all-time leading wicket-taker in World Cups with his five-fer against Sri Lanka. Along with a handful of outstanding performances in the 2015 edition, the fast turned up significant performances in 2019, with India reaching the semi-finals in both years.
Shami has reserved his best for the 2023 edition, with 14 wickets from three matches since joining the team. He already has two Player of the Match awards to his name in the competition.
Overall, in World Cups, Shami has 45 wickets in 14 matches at an average of 12.91 and an economy rate of 4.91. That’s easily the best average among the top 100 wicket-takers in cricket’s major tournament. No one else in the top 15 averages less than 18.
Bumrah has also had strong World Cup performances in 2019 and 2023, although he trails Shami on the list. With his performances on the biggest platforms, the 33-year-old has a strong claim to be India’s greatest-ever ODI bowler.
