India's batting coach Sitanshu Kotak shared on Monday that pacer Mohammed Shami is back to full fitness. Whether he plays in the last three T20Is against England will hinge on the strategy laid out by head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav for integrating him into the lineup.

Fans and analysts were anticipating Shami's inclusion in the playing XI for the T20I series after he was selected in the squad. However, it’s been a bit of a shock that he hasn’t made it onto the field yet.

Shami had been sidelined due to an ankle injury he picked up during the 2023 ODI World Cup, and he hasn’t played any international matches in 2024. He’s included in the squad for the upcoming three-match ODI series against England and the Champions Trophy, so the management might be cautious about rushing him back.

There are also worries about Jasprit Bumrah, the top ICC Test bowler, who experienced back spasms during the Sydney Test against Australia.

As the third T20I in Rajkot approaches, India's batting coach confirmed that Shami is in great shape and there are no fitness issues.

"Mohammed Shami is fit. There’s definitely a plan in place for the upcoming matches. The ODIs will be decided by coach Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav," Kotak told reporters on Monday.

"Fitness is not a concern at all. It all comes down to how they decide to manage his workload," he added.

Is Shami going to play in Rajkot?

Given how England's batters are struggling against Indian spinners, it seems pretty unlikely that the home team will change their winning lineup. So, Shami might have to hold off a bit longer before he gets his shot in the playing XI. The last time he played a T20I for India was back in November 2022.

Shami made his comeback to competitive cricket in November 2024, playing for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy. He also took part in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the Vijay Hazare Trophy for the state.

The last time he played for India was during the 2023 ODI World Cup against Australia.

Here’s India’s T20I squad for the series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Axar Patel (VC), Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Shivam Dube, Ramandeep Singh.

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