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'He is still limping a bit': Gambhir's Mohammed Shami call backed as India told 'main target should be Champions Trophy'
Piyush Chawla backed India's decision to bench Mohammed Shami, while Suresh Raina reckoned it was a tactical call
India fast bowler Mohammed Shami's return to international cricket got delayed as he was not picked in the playing XI for the first T20I match of the five-game series against England on Wednesday at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. While it sparked a furore on social media, with many concerned about Shami's fitness, but head coach Gautam Gambhir's decision was backed by veteran India cricketer Piyush Chawla.
Shami spent more than a year on the sidelines, recovering from an ankle injury he incurred during the 2023 ODI World Cup, for which he even underwent surgery. He made his return to the sport in October last year, after which he played a series of domestic games for Bengal across formats, during he suffered a separate knee injury.
With an eye on the Champions Trophy, India named Shami for the T20I series against England, which is expected to prepare him for the ICC tournament next month. The long wait for an international game was expected to end on Wednesday in Kolkata, especially after the 34-year-old, during a Cricket Association of Bengal event on Monday, expressed his eagerness to return, emphasising the hard work he put into proving his fitness.
However, as Shami bowled for close to half an hour at the side nets, targeting stumps, despite not being named in the playing XI, Chawla, speaking to the broadcaster, observed that the senior bowler wasn't completely fit for the match and hence backed the call, while reminding India that their focus should be getting him match-fit for the Champions Trophy.
He said: "If you see the run-up, he is still limping a bit. The main target should be Champions Trophy, and getting fit for that. Lots of matches in this series, even if he misses a few games, that is okay."
Shami's fitness is paramount for India in Champions Trophy given that the selectors are still unsure if Jasprit Bumrah will be able to participate in the tournament.
Was it a tactical call from India?
Former India cricketer Suresh Raina wondered if Shami missing out was merely a tactical choice from India. He said: "India have selected three spinners. Will they start with spin, that's why maybe he was not picked? It was a very important match for him, on his home ground too."
Had India shown the intention of playing three pacers on a pitch that was reckoned to aid the fast bowlers, Harshit Rana could have been the second specialist pacer in the playing XI amid the speculation over Shami's fitness. But the management seemed to have arrived in Kolkata with a plan in hand of playing three spinners on the track.
