In their upcoming white-ball series against England, pacer Mohammed Shami is scheduled to play for India. Both the T20I and ODI legs of the series have featured the right-arm speedster. Following the 2023 ODI World Cup, he would return to competitive cricket for the national team after a protracted absence while he recovered from a knee injury.
Sourav Ganguly, the former head of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, seems ecstatic for Shami, who is expected to make an appearance for India after not participating in international cricket since November 2023.
“Shami is definitely the finest bowler in the nation after Jasprit Bumrah, so I’m glad to see him fit. The good news is that he bowled a lot for Bengal in domestic cricket, which will help him in the upcoming matches. I know he’ll be a little anxious since he’s playing cricket after a lengthy break, especially with a knee injury,” Ganguly said, as reported by India Today.
In Test cricket, both players are essential to one another’s success: Sourav Ganguly
Ganguly also highlighted that Jasprit Bumrah, the star pacer, would benefit from Shami’s return.
“He is on par with everyone else in the globe. Bumrah bowling from one end differs from Shami and Bumrah bowling from both ends. In Test cricket, both players are essential to one another’s success,” the Kolkata native continued.
India was especially affected by Shami’s absence in red-ball cricket. Australia Down Under lost 3-1 after suffering a devastating home loss to New Zealand. In both series, it was clear that Bumrah was given the most of the bowling duties. Even though he gave both series his best effort and did everything he could, India ultimately suffered from not having a trustworthy partner at the other end.
The Shami-Bumrah team is anticipated to put on strong performances in the 2025 Champions Trophy alongside Arshdeep Singh. It is anticipated that this year’s February and March would see the three-fold tempo attack at its peak.
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