The unexpected absence of Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami from the playing XI for the inaugural T20I match against England in Kolkata generated significant controversy on Wednesday. At Eden Gardens, a venue known to favour fast bowlers, the Indian team opted for three spinners, which raised concerns about Shami's fitness following a recent injury. However, captain Suryakumar Yadav clarified that the decision was purely tactical.

The Indian cricket community has been eagerly anticipating Shami's return to international cricket after more than a year. His last appearance in the national team was during the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he sustained an ankle injury that required surgery, sidelining him for an extended period. He returned to competitive cricket in October of the previous year, participating in domestic matches for Bengal across various formats to demonstrate his fitness, ultimately earning the selectors' trust for the Champions Trophy. In preparation for this ICC tournament, he was included in the squad for the T20I series against England.

Leading up to the series opener in Kolkata, much of the focus was on Shami, who had expressed his enthusiasm for returning to Indian cricket just two days prior at a stadium event. Nevertheless, he was not included in the match as India chose to field three spinners: Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Patel, and Ravi Bishnoi.

While this decision raised questions about his fitness ahead of the Champions Trophy, Suryakumar, during the post-match presentation, explained that the strategy to utilize three spinners against England had been planned from the outset. 

"We aimed to leverage our strengths, similar to our approach in South Africa. Hardik took on the responsibility of bowling with the new ball, allowing me the flexibility to include an additional spinner, and all three performed exceptionally well," he stated following India's seven-wicket victory over England in the first T20I.

Spinners prove Gambhir right

Head coach Gautam Gambhir faced criticism for selecting only one specialist pacer, Arshdeep Singh, for the match. However, the decision to include three spinners proved to be a wise choice, as they collectively took five wickets for 57 runs, leading to England's collapse at a mere 132 runs. Varun stood out among the bowlers, claiming three wickets.

Suryakumar remarked, "He maintains a straightforward approach, possesses clarity in his thoughts, and, most importantly, his preparations are exemplary. This is what sets him apart from others."

India successfully chased the target in just 12.5 overs, propelled by an explosive innings of 79 runs from opener Abhishek Sharma.

Read Also: The Absence of Mohammed Shami in the India vs England 1st T20I: Injury and Gambhir's Strategy

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