Mohammed ShamiA much awaited return to international cricket took an unexpected turn as he did not feature in the ongoing first match T20I series against England at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
Shami, who recently recovered from a long-term ankle injury, was included in the squad, raising hopes among fans to see the right-arm fast bowler back in action. Despite India’s comfortable 7-wicket win, fans expressed their disappointment at Shami’s absence from the field. Former Indian spinner Piyush Chawla gave an insight into Shami’s fitness and team decision making.
Mohammed Shami’s long road to recovery
Shami last represented India in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023 final vs Australia. His cricketing journey was cut short by an ankle injury that required surgery and an extended period of rehabilitation. After 14 months of recovery, Shami was included in the squads for the five-match T20I series and the three-match ODI series against England. In addition, he was appointed in India Champions Trophy 2025 teams, and the tournament will be held from February 19 to March 9, 2025, in a hybrid format with co-hosts Pakistan and UAE.
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“The championship trophy is a priority“: Piyush Chawla
Former India spinner Chawla explained that Shami’s absence from the playing XI in the first T20I was due to fitness issues. He watched Shami limp during his run to the nets, suggesting the team should focus on getting him fit for the Champions Trophy. The footballer stressed that missing a few matches in the series would be acceptable if it would help Shami regain full fitness.
“If you see the run, he’s still limping a little bit. The main goal should be the Champions Trophy and training for it. A lot of games in this series, even if he misses a few games, that’s fine.” Chawla said while talking to a television house, as reported by Hindustan Times.
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