Tabraiz Shamsi’s performance against Gujrat Lions where he returned the figures of 4-0-21-1 compelled people to take notice. A pitch where every bowler was getting thrashed he conceded at an economy of below 6 and also took the important wicket of Brendon McCullum.
The South African chinaman bowler was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore to replace injured spinner Samuel Badree.

Despite his superb bowling, RCB failed to defend the total. But the thought of not bowling to a batting line up like RCB which comprises the likes of Kohli, de Villiers, Watson, and Gayle, has given Shamsi a sigh of relief.

“I got many calls and a couple of family members messaged me (after getting selected by Royal Challengers Bangalore) saying thankfully you need not face Chris Gayle, Virat (Kohli), (AB) de Villiers and Watson,” he said after the game at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.

“I am in a good position at the moment and there aren’t any batsmen as good as these guys in the other teams.”

He grabbed everyone’s attention after a successful stint in the last edition of the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), where he finished as the highest wicket-taker for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots. He is among the handful of bowlers who have mastered the art of chinaman bowling.
Talking about another chinaman bowler Brad Hogg who is currently playing for KKR, he said: “I watch Brad Hogg a lot, as there are not many left-arm chinaman in the game right now. I try to watch him quite a bit. Me being a youngster, I learn a lot from him”.

Praising his countryman Imran Tahir, he said,“I am quite close to him (Imran Tahir) and he being a legspinner, he helps me a lot. He speaks a lot to me about my bowling. If I can be half as these guys I can be pretty good.”

The star-studded batting line-up of RCB is not getting enough support from their bowlers but with the inclusion of Shamsi they might get a boost in their bowling.