We've to score as many as possible: Shami on India's plans for the reserve day of WTC final

The inaugural World Test Championship final was clearly the most important fixture of this year. With two days of the most important Test match unused, reserve day dynamics has entered the picture. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Tuesday that the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) final between India and England will be extended to the sixth day. On the reserve day at the Hampshire Bowl, Southampton a maximum of 98 overs will be played. The Test match is all set to crown the first-ever World Test Champions.

During the virtual press conference after stumps on Day 5, India pacer Mohammed Shami spoke about the team’s thought process going into the reserve of the Test match.

“We have lost a lot of time due to rain. So there is no discussion as such, on a total. We have just started our second innings and we need to put runs on the board. We have to score as many as possible and then see how much time is left to put them in and decide accordingly,” Mohammed Shami was quoted as saying at the virtual press conference after stumps on Day 5.

The main goal is to get runs on the board, says Shami

“In conditions like England, anything can happen but we simply can’t have a pre-plan in mind that we can get them out in this many overs. You need time to get 10 wickets and some solid plans in place. But first, we need to have enough back-up runs,” he added.

On his bowling performance in the first innings 

“Obviously as you play the Test match, you can’t stick to one plan for five days. You need to be flexible and set up lines as per the track. We needed to bowl those tight lines which benefits the team in order to restrict New Zealand to as less as possible. So the pressure created momentum and we got wickets in clutches.”

Mohammed Shami claimed the wickets of Ross Taylor, BJ Watling, Colin de Grandhomme and Kyle Jamieson finishing with 4/76 in the first innings on Day 5.

“Whenever I have been entrusted with responsibility, I have put in my wholehearted effort. Whatever be situation, I know what captain wants and then I follow his instructions. I have always been an attacking bowler who goes for wickets."

The 30-year-old concluded by stating, “When you play for India, you have no such regrets. You can’t think about personal milestones (on missing a potential five-wicket haul).”