‘Just cut the thing and play Shami’- Aakash Chopra wants pacer to be included in XI if he is fit

Mohammed Shami did not participate in yesterday’s first Twenty20 International against England, despite the hype surrounding his international return. This occurred even though Shami bowled during the Eden Gardens practice session leading up to the match.

The only logical explanation for not playing Mohammed Shami, according to former cricket player turned analyst Aakash Chopra, would be that the team management didn’t think the speedster was fit enough.

“There are just four matches remaining after one has ended. He did not participate in the first game, and if he did not, it just indicates that he was not fully fit. Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel, “If he had been fit, there would be no excuses like the pitch wasn’t good, you wanted to play spin, you wanted to play Ravi Bishnoi too, and you wanted to go with three spinners.”

Simply stop it and start playing Shami: Aakash Chopra.

The former opener went on to say that, with the Champions Trophy approaching, he was a little worried about Shami’s return to the national team’s lineup.

Don’t give me that, please. Just play Shami and chop the object. I’m a little anxious. There are only four games remaining, but the turnaround times are short. There are costs associated with travel. Although it’s difficult, you might take a chartered flight. He was unable to play the game. It indicates that he is still not completely fit, and that is something to be concerned about,” Chopra said.

It’s interesting to note that Indian T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav made no specific reference to Shami at the toss; instead, he alluded to having a large selection of players, which he described as “a good headache” to have. With 43 deliveries remaining and seven wickets taken, India won the match. Shami’s involvement in the forthcoming series matches will undoubtedly be the focus of attention.

For those who don’t know, Shami last represented his country in the Cricket World Cup in 2023. He suffered an ankle injury that has kept him out of contention ever since. He recently played in the domestic circuit for Bengal, and in those matches, he looked his most relaxed.