"The only thing in mind was to bowl good Test match lengths" - Mohammed Shami on dismissing KL Rahul for golden duck

Gujarat Titans pacer Mohammed Shami had a dream start to IPL 2022 dismissing Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul for a golden duck on Monday. GT beat LSG by five wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in their inaugural match in the competition.

Shami bowled a peach of a delivery first-up, taking away an inch to induce a faint edge from KL Rahul, who looked awestruck. However, the ball had both the batter and the umpire unmoved. Gujarat captain Hardik Pandya had to take a DRS to overturn the decision.

Shami, who joined Gujarat from Punjab, revealed his focus was on hitting the Test match lengths.

Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Mohammed Shami said:

"We had warmed up nicely. It was the first game for us and we wanted a good start. The only thing in mind was to bowl at a good Test match length in these conditions."

The pacer, who plays for Bengal in domestic cricket, added:

"That's the best line target when there's some assistance. Especially when you're releasing the ball so well. You just know it. I've worked on this for a long time. People say it's god's gift but that's not all."

The 31-year-old, who is known to be a rhythm bowler, continued the momentum and picked up two more wickets to hand early jolts to Lucknow.

Shami delivered another beast to breach Quinton de Kock's defense, going round the wicket. Throwing some light on his plan, Mohammed Shami asserted that he wanted to create an angle.

He continued:

"My main target against a leftie is to come around the wicket and cause trouble with the angle. If he was comfortable with that, I would have switched over the wicket again."

His first-spell accounted for 3/10 in three overs and he put Lucknow Super Giants in all sorts of trouble at 29/4 in 4.3 overs with all the big guns back in the hut.

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"Let's keep one in the bank" - Mohammed Shami to Hardik Pandya on bowling the fourth over

After Shami shed fire in his first spell, there were thoughts that Hardik Pandya might complete his quota and capitalize on the momentum.

The Gujarat captain, who is captaining a white-ball game for the first time, also thought on the same lines. However, Mohammed Shami revealed that he insisted on having one over for the death.

"Hardik asked me if I want the fourth over. I said no, let's keep one in the bank. Don't have to get too excited, it's a long game. Touch wood, it's a good start. Long may it go on," he concluded.

Meanwhile, Lucknow recuperated well to post 158 runs on the board, riding on half-centuries from Deepak Hooda and debutant Ayush Badoni. However, it was not enough to start on a winning note.

Although Gujarat were under pressure at one stage, Rahul Tewatia and Abhinav Manohar held their composure to take the IPL team to their maiden IPL win.