February 21, 2025: Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has expressed his confidence in Mohammed Shami’s ability to lead India’s pace attack in the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy, despite the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. Ganguly believes that Shami, with his experience and skill, is not far behind the world’s best fast bowlers like Bumrah and should shoulder the responsibility of carrying India’s pace attack in the prestigious tournament.
India’s pace arsenal took a hit with Bumrah’s injury, leaving Shami as the sole experienced bowler, supported by young pacers like Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana. This put the onus on Shami to step up, especially after his long injury layoff. In his return to international cricket, Shami’s performance in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy had been solid, with a couple of wickets in ODIs against England.
However, it was during India’s opening match of the Champions Trophy against Bangladesh that Shami truly announced his presence. Bowling on a challenging Dubai surface, Shami produced a fiery spell, finishing with a brilliant five-wicket haul after completing his full quota of 10 overs. Ganguly wasn’t surprised by Shami’s performance, stating that his experience and skill had made a difference, especially in the absence of Bumrah.
Ganguly went on to highlight that while Bumrah is widely regarded as the best fast bowler in the world, Shami isn’t far behind. He expressed hope that Shami would stay fit throughout the tournament and lead India’s pace attack just as Bumrah would have. According to Ganguly, the duo of Bumrah and Shami has often complemented each other, and now, with Bumrah out, it’s up to Shami to guide India’s pace department.
With the tournament progressing, Shami’s ability to maintain his fitness and consistency will be crucial for India’s chances in the Champions Trophy, especially given the added pressure of leading the pace attack on a global stage.