Kolkata: Mohammed Shami is finally set to return to competitive cricket, with Bengal naming the fast bowler in the squad for the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match against Madhya Pradesh in Indore starting Wednesday.

Shami, who has been out of competitive action since India’s ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad last November, was hoping to be picked for the tour of Australia on the basis of his domestic performance but his recovery from surgery due to an Achilles tendon injury was longer than anticipated. He was at the NCA for the better part of last year.

With their hopes of picking Shami for Australia going down the drain, the senior selectors finally went with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana in the squad, with Mukesh Kumar, Khaleej Ahmed and Navdeep Saini as travelling reserves. It remains to be seen if Shami can be a last-minute inclusion to the squad if he proves his match fitness in Indore.

His addition is also a much-needed boost for Bengal, who are currently in the fifth spot in the points table with eight points from four games.

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