Mohammed Shami set to lead India’s pace attack against England after a year-long injury layoff.
Kolkata, January 22: India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, expressed excitement over the return of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami to international cricket. Shami, sidelined for over a year due to an ankle injury that required surgery, is poised to spearhead India’s bowling attack in the upcoming T20I series against England.
Shami last featured for India in the ODI World Cup 2023 final in Ahmedabad against Australia. His impressive recovery and performances in domestic cricket for Bengal during the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and Vijay Hazare Trophy convinced selectors of his readiness for the international stage.
The experienced pacer made a statement in his Ranji comeback, taking match figures of 7/156 against Madhya Pradesh. He followed it with strong displays in white-ball formats, claiming 11 wickets in nine matches during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and five scalps in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Suryakumar’s Confidence in Shami
Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Suryakumar highlighted Shami’s value to the team.
“It’s always great to have an experienced bowler like him. He’s coming back after more than a year, and I’m really excited to see him in action. Watching his recovery and focus on bowling has been inspiring,” said the Indian skipper.
With Jasprit Bumrah unavailable due to an injury, Shami is expected to lead the bowling attack, complemented by Arshdeep Singh.
Series Details and Expectations
The five-match T20I series between India and England begins on Wednesday at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens. The second and third matches will take place in Chennai and Rajkot on January 25 and 28, respectively. The final two games are scheduled for January 31 in Pune and February 2 in Mumbai.
Shami’s return is expected to bolster India’s bowling lineup as they aim for a strong performance against a formidable English side.
India’s Squad for T20I Series:
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (VC), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (WK).
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