"Shami Not 100% Fit": India Star Pacer Weighs in on Pacer's Omission from 1st T20I
Shami's fitness remains a concern, with experts pointing to his ongoing recovery as the reason behind his exclusion
India Leaves Out Mohammed Shami for 1st T20I Against England
In Kolkata at Eden Gardens, the Indian cricket team's captain, Suryakumar Yadav, decided they would bowl first against England in the first T20I game last Wednesday. It may seem unfathomable, but Mohammed Shami, a really experienced bowler, didn't get picked to play even though everybody was very happy to see him come back after being out for a while because of a heel operation.
Shami hadn't played since the ICC ODI World Cup final in November 2023, but he was getting ready to make a comeback, playing in some domestic games to find his skill again. However, Suryakumar said during the toss that they wanted to play to their strengths. Through this piece, it's key to understand why Shami, with all his experience, wasn't in the game.
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The team management felt pretty solid about their bowling lineup and how it suited the conditions in Kolkata, so they left Shami out. By all means, this decision confused a lot of people because Shami's skills in T20 cricket are well known. Despite that, Suryakumar was hopeful about the series, saying the pitch at the stadium was somewhat sticky and they were expecting dew to make things fraught later on.
Mister Yadav praised his team's preparations and was excited about facing England. Shami's potential return to international cricket was an important issue, especially after he missed the test series in Australia in December 2023, where India didn't do too well. Now, with the T20I series going on, whether Shami will play in future games makes everyone unsure. Meanwhile, even with a group that does not agree on the best strategy, India's bowling team is ready to take on England taking on the conditions and their recent good form to see them through.
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