Even the best players have flaws: Mohammed Shami reveals trick to dismiss Virat Kohli

India pacer Mohammed Shami said captain Virat Kohli’s faith in him has been the reason for his success at the international level.

The 29-year-old, who battled plenty of injuries and off-field issues in the past few years, has emerged as a key pacer for India not only in Test cricket but also in the limited-overs format. Shami said his performances were all a result of Kohli’s backing, which in turn, helped him improve his game.

“Do I need to say this? I think the results bear testimony to the fact that Virat backs us to the core,” Shami was quoted as saying by IANS.

“He has always given us that freedom to do what we feel confident about. Also, it is very important at the international level to have a captain who knows your strengths and weaknesses and also backs you. This in turn helps you raise your game,” he said.

He added: “Virat has a lot of trust in our abilities and he gets the result because as a bowler, all you need is for the captain to back you and believe in you and your vision.”

Despite heaping praise on the Indian captain, Shami revealed that he was also aware of Kohli’s weaknesses as batsman and knew how to dismiss him.

“There are a lot of things that come with playing and spending quality time with another player,” he said.

“You not only come to know of his strengths but also of his weaknesses. As a bowler, you need to keep working on the weak zones. There is no denying the fact that he is the best in the business, but even the best has those little flaws which you can work on. You just need to pick on one factor and focus on that.

“Say for example, which has been the area that has troubled a batsman in recent times? You then work on that. I have dismissed him quite a few times (in the IPL) and without getting into much details, I will say you have to just work on the weak zone,” he revealed.