'Everyone Believes..', Optimistic Mohammed Shami Backs India To Win WTC Final
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane will start the proceedings for India [Source: A
Indian pacer Mohammed Shami exudes unwavering confidence in his team's ability to achieve victory in the World Test Championship (WTC) final by successfully chasing down the target of 280 runs on the final day at the Oval, with seven wickets remaining.
India started strongly with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill adding 41 runs in quick time. However, Gill's innings came to an end with a sensational yet controversial catch by Cameron Green.
Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara built a partnership of 50 runs for the second wicket, with the Indian captain displaying his exceptional stroke-making skills. Unfortunately, both batters were dismissed in successive overs. Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane stepped up to stall the Australian charge with a solid effort.
Kohli showcased his best batting in whites in recent months as he led India's charge, guiding the team to 164 for 3, still, 280 runs away from the finish line.
During the press conference, Shami expressed the unwavering belief shared by the team, stating:
"Everyone believes that tomorrow we will win the match. We have always fought and performed well around the world, not just here. So, we believe and we always come together to win this match."
Shami emphasized the importance of maintaining a normal Test match approach, focusing on playing ball by ball and setting smaller goals instead of fixating on the larger target. He believed that chasing 280 on the fifth day is not a daunting task if the team bats well and stays focused.
"According to me, if you bat well, 280 runs is not a big score. So, you should bat normally as a Test match and focus on playing ball by ball. You should not look at the long target. So, according to me, chances of success are higher when you keep small goals and targets."
By adopting this mindset and setting smaller targets, Shami believed that India's chances of success would be higher. Keeping a steady approach and achieving small milestones along the way would lead to greater success in their pursuit of victory.
 "Vaibhav Tripathi")
