Mohammed Shami
Mohammed ShamiGetty Images

After a good day for the Indian bowlers, where they never allowed the hosts to break free and also kept picking up wickets, Mohammed Shami was especially chuffed about his performance after the fast bowler was involved in a spate of controversies back home.

The Bengal fast bowler, who picked up two wickets, said that although he did not play in too many games, he was focused when he practised at the National Cricket Academy. 

"We plan according to what series we are going to play, depending on conditions and the opposition," he said after the day's play.

'I have to keep doing what I love most'

He was India's leading fast bowler in South Africa where he picked up 15 wickets and was one of the chief architects of India's win in the final Test in Wanderers. However, he has since been dragged into a spate of personal issues back home.

"South Africa was a long time ago and there have been some off-field issues after that. I had to fight a lot in between, but my focus was on doing what I love most and what is most important to me (cricket)," Shami said.

He further said that he wanted to do his job and leave the rest to fate. 

"I wanted to just keep doing my job and then see what happens to the rest of the stuff in my life. Whatever difficulties I face, I first wanted to play cricket and keep doing it, and the result is in front of us," he further added.

Shami further said that he is very happy, both as an individual and as a bowling unit since whatever he worked on as a bowler, he was able to bring it to play. 

"There are ups and downs in life and in your family, but when playing for your country, there is a responsibility and when you do that job properly, that's the best thing," he quipped.

Winning the toss, England decided to bat first and despite stitching together a couple of 50-run partnerships and a single 100-run partnership, the Indian bowlers kept chipping in with wickets. Joe Root (80 runs off 156 balls, 9x4s) scored an unbeaten 41st Test half-century but the Indian side managed to limit the hosts to 285 for 9 at the close of day 1.