Mohali (Punjab): India pacer Mohammed Shami has said that he doesn't feel low for warming the bench in the 50-over format in recent times as long as the team is winning.
Shami put in an impactful performance in the first ODI against India with a five-for and played a key role in restricting Australia to a below-par total. India won the first game by five wickets.
However, the team management has indicated that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and right-arm medium pacer Mohammed Siraj are going to be the specialist pacers for the national side with allrounders Shardul Thakur (right-arm medium pacer) and Hardik Pandya (right-arm medium pacer) supporting them.
Reflecting on the sporadic chances he is getting in the ODI format, Shami stated that he didn't feel low for warming the bench as the team is winning matches.
"When I was playing regularly, there must have been someone, who had to sit out and I wasn't guilty. So you can't feel low if you are sitting out because the team is winning. This is the team's plan and it is important to stick with it. You can't be always in the playing XI because a lot depends on the team combination," Shami, who represents Bengal in domestic cricket, said in the post-match press conference late Friday night.
"If you are playing, well and good and if you are not in the playing XI, then you should be supportive of those, who are playing. I think there is no point feeling low and I am ready to play the role the team gives me," he quipped.