Mohammed Shami is back in the India vs England T20I series but will not play all the matches

Veteran Indian Pacer Mohammed Shami is all set to make his long-awaited return to international cricket. However, fans will not see him present in the five T20Is against England. Shami, who last played for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, has been sidelined for almost 14 months due to an ankle injury.

The fast bowler underwent surgery in the UK last year and has since been gradually regaining fitness. His inclusion in the T20I squad for the series against England is part of a workload management plan ahead of the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Shami will be back in action

According to PTI reports, Shami has been picked for the England series to prepare him for the Champions Trophy. However, he will not play all five matches as the team management wants to manage his bowling load carefully.

Shami’s return is crucial of India bowling attack, especially with several senior players rested. His experience and skill will be key as India aim to build a strong squad for the upcoming tournaments.

India’s T20I squad: Changes and surprises

The Suryakumar YadavThe lead side will begin their five-match series against England on January 22 at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. The squad in the series has undergone notable changes compared to the one they played against south africa last year

Key Inclusions:

• Mohammed Shami replaces Avesh Khan.
• Harshit Rana replaces Yash Dayal.
• Nitish Kumar Reddy replaces Ramandeep Singh.

The spin department has four players: Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakrabortyi Washington Sundar.

Interestingly, Vice-Capt Shubman Gill has been left out of the template. Instead, Sanju Samson i 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. The middle order will be seen Tilak VarmaSuryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya.

Rinku Singh is expected to bat at No.6, followed by Axar Patel, who will add 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 T20I Series Schedule

Here’s a look at the India vs England T20I series schedule:

• 1st T20I: January 22, Eden Gardens, Kolkata
• 2nd T20I: January 25, Chennai
• 3rd T20I: January 28, Rajkot
• 4th T20I: January 31, Pune
• 5th T20I: February 2, Mumbai

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