‘Will make a huge difference’: Ex-India cricketer on Shami’s T20 WC chances

Mohammed Shami will be aiming to use the ongoing ODI series against England as an opportunity to cement his place in India's T20 World Cup squad.

Mohammed Shami has been recalled to the white-ball teams for India, and will represent the team in the ODI series against England beginning on Tuesday. While Shami has continued to be a primary figure in India’s Test cricket teams at home and overseas, he has played fewer white ball games, for load management as well as for trying out different alternatives.

India's Mohammed Shami celebrate the dismissal of England's Ben Stokes during the 1st ODI. (ANI)

However, his return to the white ball team for this ODI series, a significant one against the reigning world champions, suggests that the team sees him as an important figure heading into the World Cups coming up over the next 18 months. While his spot in the ODI team seems to be his to fight for, some are questioning why he wasn’t considered for the T20Is as well.

Parthiv Patel, speaking for Cricbuzz, is one such figure, and argued for him being the third pacer in the T20I squads if he can prove to the Indian management that he has the tools for it. "He has a good opportunity in this ODI series to show that he can bowl in the death overs. He could vouch for his spot in the T20 World Cup. India already have Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, and if you get the quality and experience of Shami, it will make a huge difference," Patel said.

"I am surprised as to why he is not seen as a T20 bowler. The way he bowled for Gujarat Titans, he claimed a wicket in the first over on so many occasions. Earlier it was said that he cannot bowl in the death overs, but he has been doing that pretty well for Gujarat and Punjab.” Shami did have a fantastic season with the eventual champions GT, leading their pace attack and taking 20 wickets as they relied on strong bowling performances throughout the tournament.

However, India might be concerned that having Bumrah, Shami, and Bhuvneshwar would be having three players who are too similar in what they wish to do and when they wish to bowl. The benefit of having someone of the likes of Harshal Patel is his willingness to forego bowling with the new ball, instead entering in the second half of an innings and using his variations to good use.

Shami certainly was impressive with the new ball, but with Bhuvneshwar Kumar showing the form of his life and focusing on the shortest form of the game to keep his body healthy, it might be a matter of choosing between two very strong options. With Deepak Chahar on the route to recovery as well, that is another different kind of powerplay bowler for India to consider.

In any case, Shami will certainly try his best to ensure he is one of the pacers India enters 2023 with as their leaders for the ODI World Cup, being played at home. With Jasprit Bumrah one of the first names on the team sheet and Prasidh Krishna showing immense promise as a 10-over bowler, the first ODI at the Oval could serve as a testing ground for the pace battery with which the men in blue enter the 2023 World Cup.