Mohammed Shami to miss ENG T20Is despite selection; KL Rahul’s new role revealed and Kuldeep Yadav’s update
India’s national cricket team for the ODI in England continues to be a major talking point as it will give a clear picture of which side will be present in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The eight-nation tournament is scheduled to be played from February 19 to March 9 in Pakistan and Dubai.
On Saturday (January 11), the BCCI announced India’s squad for the five-match T20I series against the England national cricket team. What was the biggest positive was that the first pacer Mohammed Shami returned to the team after a long-term injury, which kept him out for the whole year.
Mohammed Shami will play his first match in India colors for the first time since ICC World Cup 2023.
Mohammed Shami will play his first match in Indian colors after the finals of ICC World Cup 2023. He also played a few domestic matches recently, but swelling in his knees faced him with another setback and his return to the Indian national cricket team has been delayed.
But according to reports in PTI, it is learned that Mohammed Shami will not play all the five games of the T20I series in England. This is because the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants to pick him in the squad for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Mohammed Shami is also expected to play three ODI matches.
KL Rahul, if selected, will be selected as a specialist batsman in England ODIs
Reports also claimed that there is no clarity over the selection of KL Rahul in the ODI series against the England cricket team. It is learned that if he is selected, he will be in the team as a specialist batsman and not as a wicket-keeper batsman.
KL Rahul has not been at his best in ODIs. His performances in the ICC World Cup 2023 final are still fresh in the minds of many. The keeper-batsman, despite hitting a half-century, was stuck at the crease as he failed to hit boundaries when needed.
If he misses the ODI in England, there are chances that he will not be in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Recently, some reports claimed that Rishabh Pant is all set to be the first wicketkeeper and there are chances that Sanju Samson will be the second wicketkeeper.
Kuldeep Yadav’s selection for the England ODIs will solely depend on his fitness report
On the other hand, Kuldeep Yadav’s selection will solely depend on how the wrist spinner performs in the Fitness Test. He will be named in the Indian squad for the three-match ODI series against the England cricket team only if he is deemed fit by the NCA team.
Reports in Dainik Jagran suggest that Kuldeep Yadav is currently in the NCA and his fitness report will be released around 25-26. January. Only after that, his selection for the ODI series against England cricket team will be taken.
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