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Young opening batsman Abhishek Sharma opened up to veteran pacer Mohammed Shami’s snub from the playing eleven in the first match of the T20I series against the England National Cricket Team.
Abhishek Sharma played down any injury concerns for the pacer and said Mohammed Shami did not fit into the combination finalized by the Gautam Gambhir-led team management.
Read also: Mohammed Shami’s fresh injury is confirmed as he misses the first IND vs ENG T20I
Mohammed Shami was expected to return to India in Kolkata T20I
All eyes were on Mohammed Shami ahead of the first T20I between India and England as fans were almost certain that opening pacer Mohammed Shami would make his return to India at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday, January 22.
Notably, Shami was out of action with an ankle for over a year and returned to competitive cricket a few months ago. To make matters worse, the pacer also faced some knee problems in his comeback and his hopes of featuring in the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy were dashed.
Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami was finally selected in the squad for the T20I series against England after proving his mettle in domestic cricket, and was also named in the ODI squad for the series against England as well as the ‘ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
Surprisingly, the veteran pacer was not picked in the playing eleven for the first match of the T20I series in Kolkata as the team management preferred three spinners as part of their combination with Arshdeep Singh being the only specialized rhythm of the line-up.
The team management went with the combination that suited the conditions – Abhishek Sharma
Shami also did not look quite in form in his run before the match. Although there were no clear signs of discomfort or injury, there were fears about his fitness.
However, speaking at the post-match press conference after the first T20I, Abhishek Sharma revealed that Shami’s exclusion had more to do with the team mix than fitness. He said that Gautam Gambhir & Co. he selected the playing eleven keeping in mind the conditions on offer at Eden Gardens.
“The team management went with the combination that suited the conditions. That’s how I see it,” said the explosive left-handed batsman on Shami’s omission.
Omission of Re Mohammed Shami – The team management has gone with the combination that suits the conditions. This is how I see it: Abhishek
— RevSportz Global (@RevSportzGlobal) January 22, 2025
Abhishek, who played a sensational 79-run knock in the first T20I, further said that the coach and captain gave him a lot of confidence.
“The coach and the captain told me not to be afraid of failure and just go there and express myself. When a coach and a captain say that, it gives you confidence,” added Abhishek Sharma.
But there has to be some reason for Shami not to play: Parthiv Patel
Former India cricketer Parthiv Patel was also shocked after Mohammed Shami missed the playing eleven and said:
“I think only the captain can tell you the reason or the direction of the team. It’s very surprising. We all had hope that it will be achieved after a long time.
“But there must be some reason why Shami is not playing. If he is there in your squad, there must be something, why Shami is not playing.”
