Mohammed Shami may have fallen out of favour for a spot in the Indian side, but his “wisdom and leadership characteristics” has really impressed Tom Moody, Lucknow Super Giants’ global cricket director.
In IPL 2026 so far, Shami has picked up four wickets in as many matches but it is his economy rate of 6.2 that has made the difference.
“As we know, he’s a world-class bowler. He’s come off a very good domestic season, so he’s got the work underneath him as well. He looks fit and strong. We know that he brings a unique skill set with the new ball, swinging it both ways and being a real threat in the powerplay,” Moody said ahead of their match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
But Moody says apart from his bowling ability, Shami brings a lot to the table.
“He’s been terrific for us because he’s the senior figure in our bowling attack. He’s got great wisdom and leadership characteristics, and he’s bringing all that to the table for us. What makes him good is his durability, his ability to swing the ball early, and his pace is still right up there. He’s bowling in the high 130s, which is as good as it has been throughout his career. It’s a credit to him that he’s in that condition,” he added.
Moody is not too worried about the poor form of Nicholas Pooran, who has made just 41 runs from four matches at a strike rate of just 85.
“Obviously, Nicky is fully aware of the slow start he’s had. We’ve got absolutely 100 per cent confidence in what he brings to the table. As I say, class is permanent. And I’m sure the opportunity tomorrow night, at a venue where batting can be something that top-order players enjoy – with the size of the ground and the surface – could well be the tonic that Nicky needs.
“So everyone knows he’s a world-class player and a threat. Like anyone else, he can have a little lean patch, but look out for the counter-punch,” he said.
Moody also gave an update on Mayank Yadav’s return, and said: “The likes of Mayank and Mohsin (Khan) have had quite long-term injuries, so our medical team has worked exceptionally hard over the last few months to get them up and ready to play.
“They are all ready now. Mohsin will probably do a final test tomorrow to see whether he’s available for selection. As far as Mayank is concerned, he’s also ready to go. He didn’t jump into our thought processes early in the tournament purely because he was still a little underdone – just in terms of bowling and the loads any bowler needs to feel comfortable.
“But we feel that has now reached a point where he’s ready to go. He’s worked exceptionally hard. One thing that has worked well for us so far is that our bowling has been pretty solid. We just haven’t really produced the runs to support that.”
