Former India player Robin Uthappa applauded ace pacer Mohammed Shami by drawing parallels with Virat Kohli following his stunning display against Sri Lanka in Mumbai on November 2. Shami registered 5/18 to continue his rampaging run through the 2023 World Cup. It was Shami’s second five-wicket haul in the three matches he has played so far as well.

Speaking to India Today post-game, Uthappa said, “He is not considered a legend yet because he is still playing. There is so much left to achieve for someone like Mohammed Shami. His personality is quite similar to Zaheer bhai and Srinath Sir, who have done service for India for decades.”So I think he is a similar kind of bowler, that same attitude, that same hunger, that same grit. He has the same caliber that we hold Virat Kohli to. What Virat Kohli is the batter to Team India, Mohammed Shami is the bowler to Team India.”

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Mohammed Shami has also become India’s highest wicket-taker in ODI World Cups with 45 scalps in a mere 14 innings. He surpassed the previous record of 44 held by Zaheer Khan and Javagal Srinath. It was also his third five-wicket haul in the last five ODIs as well.

“He is very clinical with his approach, with his processes. He just does the simple things, over and over again. We just saw Virat doing that again, the hard work in those first 10 overs and capitalised later. Very similar. Shami comes out there, keeps it simple, hits the right areas and occasionally bowls bad balls. The result of any delivery is very in tune with the process,” Robin Uthappa concluded.

India will take on South Africa in a mouthwatering top-of-the-table clash at Kolkata on Sunday, November 5.