Rishabh Pant led Lucknow Super Giants to victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad last time out. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Lucknow Super Giants spin bowling coach Carl Crowe on Wednesday hailed seasoned pacer Mohammed Shami for his keenness to learn and improve.

Citing the example of how Shami prepared with fast bowling coach Bharat Arun to scalp dangerous Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Abhishek Sharma, Crowe said, “Bharat and Shami worked on a new ball four days before the match and Shami bowled that ball to dismiss Abhishek. You’re never too old to learn a new skill. It’s testament to not only Bharat but also Shami’s mindset that as a senior player he’s still very willing to develop new skills, trying to push his game.”

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Ahead of LSG’s Indian Premier League encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens here, Crowe praised captain Rishabh Pant for being a bowlers’ captain. 

“He definitely empowers his bowlers. He is someone that is very keen to hear their views in team meetings and he’ll be interested to see what their perspective is and what their plans are.

When he enters the room as captain, he says hello to every single person, shakes their hand and as a leader it makes you feel like you’re welcome and you belong.”

Crowe spoke enthusiastically about spinner Digvesh Rathi. “His skills are exciting. He’s capable of playing for India in the future. When you’re working with those types of players, what you want to do is guide them rather than restrict them. It’s clear that his energy, his passion, drives his game,” said Crowe.

Published on Apr 08, 2026