The five-match T20I series between India and England began on Wednesday (January 22) at the Eden Gardens. Apart from this match being India’s first home game of the year, fans were also looking forward to the contest due to the much-awaited return of Mohammed Shami.
The veteran pacer is back in the Indian team after more than a year. Mohammed Shami last played for the Men in Blue during the 2023 World Cup finals in November 2023. Right after the World Cup, he was sidelined with an ankle injury and also had to undergo surgery.
The right-arm pacer finally returned to competitive cricket after almost a year when he represented Bengal in domestic cricket in November last year. After proving his match fitness, Shami earned a recall from the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against England.
Unsurprisingly, the Indian cricketing fraternity was expecting the pacer’s name in the India Playing XI to start the series. However, the Indian team management decided not to include Shami in the eleven for the first T20I.
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And as soon as the Indian squad was announced, fans took to X to express their surprise at the decision. Here are some of the reactions.
Without Mohammed Shami in the first game of T20I? Wtf is this decision. pic.twitter.com/JvOvSoO5eL
— RATNISH (@LoyalSachinFan) January 22, 2025
If Mohammed Shami is fit, it was a stupid call not to have him in the playing XI. You must test his bowling ability NOW.
If there are still doubts, Mohammed Siraj better arrange a visa for Dubai.
— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) January 22, 2025
Not Mohammed Shami, after all that. 😳#INDvENG
— Jamie Alter 🇮🇳 (@alter_jamie) January 22, 2025
Mohammed Shami’s reaction after the toss.#INDvENG #INDvsENG #MohammedShami pic.twitter.com/JxPqFZjafi
— RR_Cricket_Book (@RRCricBook) January 22, 2025
After Rohit Sharma, Gambhir’s next target is Md Shami 💔 pic.twitter.com/4SaEGS3LYx
— Ctrl C Ctrl Meme (@Ctrlmemes_) January 22, 2025
Mohammad Shami is not playing in your field
Disappointed everyone.#INDvENG– Jay Prakash Rajpoot (@Jayrajpt) January 22, 2025
There is no Mohammed Shami in the playing XI. It’s a shock. No point not playing him unless he’s fit. #INDvENG
— Vishesh Roy (@vroy38) January 22, 2025
Mohammed Shami not in playing XI? That’s news from Eden Gardens. That’s strange. The Indian playing XI keeps surprising us. #INDvsENG #MohammedShami #ChampionsTrophy2025
— Sumit Ghosh (@SumitG71) January 22, 2025
Shami doesn’t respond or plays combination 11?
— Рохит жуглан Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) January 22, 2025
If Mohammed Shami is fit, it was a stupid call not to have him in the playing XI. You must test his bowling ability NOW.
If there are still doubts, Mohammed Siraj better arrange a visa for Dubai.
— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) January 22, 2025
Without Mohammed Shami in the Indian XI.
Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and decided to bowl first in the first T20I against England. Speaking about the toss, Suryakumar said the pitch looked sticky, implying that the batsmen might struggle to execute their shots early on.
We’ll look at bowling first. The door looks sticky, there will be dew later. It will be harder later. The guys were amazing. The preparations were good, I’m looking forward to this series. It will be a great contest between both sides. Good headache, we want to stick to our strengths,” said Suryakumar.
As far as the team combination is concerned, India decided to include only one front row player in the team. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is the only front-line pacer in the playing eleven, with Hardik Pandya and Nitish Reddy being the other fast-bowling options.
Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy are the two openers in the team and Axar Patel is the second bowling option.
India playing 11 for first T20I:
Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy
