Veteran Indian player Muhammad Al-Shami All set for his long-awaited return to international cricket. However, fans will not see him in all five T20I matches against England. Shami, who last played for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, has been sidelined for nearly 14 months due to an ankle injury.
The fast bowler underwent surgery in the UK last year and since then he has been gradually regaining his fitness. His inclusion in the T20I squad for the series against England It comes as part of a workload management plan ahead of the 2025 Champions Cup.
Shami should get back to work
According to PTI reports, Shami has been selected for the England Championship to prepare him for the Champions Trophy. However, he will not play all the five matches as the team management wants to manage his bowling load carefully.
Shami's return is crucial for India The bowling attack, especially with so many senior players rested. His experience and skill will be key as India aims to build a strong team for the upcoming tournaments.
Indian T20I squad: changes and surprises
the Suryakumar YadavThe team he leads will begin a five-match series against England on January 22 at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The series team underwent notable changes from the team it played against South Africa last year.
Main inclusions:
- Mohammed Al-Shami replaces Avesh Khan.
- Harshit Rana comes to Yash Dayal.
- Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Ramandeep Singh.
The spin department includes four players: Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakrabortyand Washington Sundar.
Interestingly, Vice Captain Shubman Gill He was excluded from the team. instead of, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma He is expected to open the innings, with Tilak Varma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav to follow.
The batting line-up for the first T20I is likely to include Samson and Sharma as openers. We will see the middle order Tilak PharmaSuryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya.
Rinku Singh is expected to bat at number six, followed by Axar Patel, who will provide depth to the batting line-up. The bowling attack will feature a mix of pace and spin, with Shami leading the pace unit in select matches.
Complete schedule of T20I series
Here's a quick look at the schedule for the India vs England T20I series:
- 1st T20I: January 22, Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- 2nd T20I: January 25, Chennai
- 3rd T20I: January 28, Rajkot
- 4th T20I: January 31, Pune
- V T20I: February 2, Mumbai
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