Keeping old red balls helped Shami learn reverse swing: Coach

Mohammed Shami has impressed one and all with his ability to get reverse swing on the very first day of his Test career but his childhood coach Badruddin Siddique is not at all surprised as he has seen him practice the art since his U-16 days.
"I don't know about others but Shami had the ability to get reverse swing since he was 16 years old. He has practised a lot to perfect the reverse delivery that comes into the right hander. He has done that a number of times in Ranji Trophy also," an ecstatic Badruddin told PTI today as Shami made a dream debut with figures of 4 for 71 in the first Test against West Indies.

Badruddin then let out the secret of Shami's success in the longer format.
"During junior level tournaments in and around Moradabad, Shami would always request organizers to give him the old red balls used in the tournament. I would then watch him regularly polish one side and keep the shine of those semi-new balls. If he didn't get anyone, then he would get hold of little boys to stand on one side of the wall and just try to get reverse with high-arm action," the coach recalled.
Badruddin feels that right from the time he made his ODI debut against Pakistan in Delhi, last winter, he knew that it would be difficult for the selectors to keep him out of the longer version for long time.

"Look at his first-class record. He has got almost four wickets per match (71 first-class wickets from 18 games). The temperament he showed against Pakistan in a low-scoring tie gave me confidence that he is ready for the big league", he said.