IPL 2019 | We’re hungry to achieve what we didn’t last year, says Mohammed Shami

Punjab had a brilliant start last season as Ravichandran Ashwin and Co. went on to win five of their opening six matches. But, after such a start, the team eventually faded out in the end losing eight matches and finishing seventh on the table below slow starting Royal Challengers Bangalore and Mumbai Indians.

However, Shami has been of the opinion that the side deserved to be in the final last time and the team was very disappointed by the way they ended things. 

“Last year KXIP started brilliantly and were leading the points table at the halfway stage. They should have at least reached the final. This regret, he hopes, will spur them on this season. “We need to start afresh. The players are hungry to achieve what they didn’t so last year,” he said in an interview with HT.

At the back of some scintillating displays in Indian colours of the recently concluded series against Australia, Shami has suddenly been in the fray for the World Cup after missing out on many matches from April 2015 to September 2018, where he played just three ODIs. 

Now, with a Man of the Series in the bag from the New Zealand series, Shami could very well be one of India’s three-pronged pace attack in England in June. And Shami revealed that his experience has led him to take extra responsibility and is working on his variations for the shorter formats.

“As a senior player one always has to take extra responsibility. I am still in the process in perfecting my ability to bowl yorker and slower ones. Especially in T20 cricket those are effective tools,” said Shami.

With the workload management a burning issue in IPL ahead of the World Cup, Shami would be highly alerted especially after he failed the ‘Yo-Yo test’ last year. However, Shami revealed that he has been in touch with the management about it. 

“I am a lot lighter now. The weight loss did wonders for me. I worked on my bowling too during the time I was recovering. I am improving each day. I am in touch with them regarding when to play and when to take rest. In a long tournament like IPL it’s important to work on fitness on a day-to-day basis and not look too far ahead,” he added.