India's prominent fast bowler, Mohammed Shami, is set to make his eagerly anticipated return to international cricket this month, as the 34-year-old has been included in the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming five-match series against England. Shami's last appearance for the national team was during the ODI World Cup in 2023. He resumed competitive play last year in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and subsequently represented Bengal in the Ranji Trophy.

Shami had been sidelined due to an ankle injury that necessitated surgical intervention. He was expected to return for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy last year but was unable to do so due to another injury setback. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) indicated in a media release that the fast bowler required "more time for controlled exposure to bowling loads."

Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana have also retained their positions in the Indian T20I squad, joining Shami to form a formidable pace trio for the series.

Axar Patel has been appointed vice-captain for this series, marking his debut in this leadership role. Varun Chakaravarthy, who delivered an outstanding performance in India's previous T20I series against South Africa, has maintained his place alongside Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar.

Notably, India's star wicketkeeper-batter, Rishabh Pant, is absent from the T20I squad. Sanju Samson, who scored a century as an opener in South Africa, is expected to be the primary wicketkeeper, with Dhruv Jurel serving as the backup. It is worth mentioning that in November of last year, Pant became the highest-paid cricketer in Indian Premier League history, securing INR 27 crore from Lucknow Super Giants following a competitive bidding process.

Nitish Kumar Reddy, who recently made a significant impact in his maiden Test series in Australia, where he scored a century at the MCG, will also participate in the five-match T20I series commencing on January 22.

Suryakumar Yadav will continue to lead the team, with Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, and Rinku Singh forming the backbone of the batting lineup.

India's squad for the T20I series:

Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (Vice-Captain), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, and Dhruv Jurel (Wicketkeeper).

Read Also: "Brad Hogg Critiques Mayank Yadav's Focus on IPL Over Test Cricket"

Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!