Mumbai: Finally, Mohammed Shami is back in the Team India squad.
The crafty pacer was named in the 15-member squad for the five-match T20 International series against England, starting at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on January 22.
Shami last played for the national team 14 months ago, in the ODI World Cup final at Motera’s Narendra Modi Stadium on November 19, 2023. He was subsequently sidelined by injuries, undergoing an ankle surgery followed by knee-related niggles.
He resumed competitive cricket in the domestic circuit in November 2024, playing for Bengal in Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20) meet and Vijay Hazare (50-over) Trophy. Though there was talk of joining the Indian team in Australia for the five-Test Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the selectors didn’t take the risk ultimately.
Suryakumar Yadav will lead the T20 side, with Axar Patel as his deputy. Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul are not part of the squad.
The five T20Is will be followed by a three-match ODI series against England. Those will be the only ODIs for India ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy to be held in Pakistan and Dubai (India matches) from February 19 to March 9.
INDIA T20I SQUAD
Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (VC), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (WK).
INDIA-ENGLAND T20I FIXTURES
1st T20I: Jan 22, Kolkata
2nd T20I: Jan 25, Chennai
3rd T20I: Jan 28, Rajkot
4th T20I: Jan 31, Pune
5th T20I: Feb 2, Mumbai.
INDIA-ENGLAND ODI FIXTURES
1st ODI: Feb 6, Nagpur
2nd ODI: Feb 9, Cuttack
3rd ODI: Feb 12, Ahmedabad.
