The first T20I match between India and England at Eden Gardens in Kolkata was highly anticipated as it marked the return of Mohammed Shami to international cricket after a hiatus of 14 months. His previous appearance for India was in the ODI World Cup final in November 2023, and his last T20I match took place during the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022. With concerns regarding Jasprit Bumrah's fitness, Shami's re-entry into international play just weeks ahead of the Champions Trophy was a notable event in Indian cricket. However, it was revealed that Shami was not part of India's playing XI for the match against England on Wednesday. Instead, India opted for a single specialist fast bowler, Arshdeep Singh, accompanied by seam-bowling all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumnar Reddy.

This decision raises questions. Was Shami unfit? If so, why was he selected? The rationale behind including Shami in the T20I squad was to provide him with match practice in preparation for the Champions Trophy. In contrast, England fielded four specialist fast bowlers. Former Indian opener Akash Chopra expressed his belief that Shami was not fully fit.

"Shami not playing. Obviously not 100% fit for today. India has chosen to play only one frontline pacer in Arshdeep. Hardik-Nitish the two other pace options. England fielded 4 proper pacers. Both captains seeing the pitch differently," Aakash Chopra stated on X.

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 22, 2025

Shami appeared to be in no visible discomfort, despite not operating at full speed. He participated in the warm-up sessions prior to the toss on Wednesday, which effectively dispels any notions of him being unfit. This raises the question: why was he absent from the series opener against England?

Surprisingly, the decision was entirely tactical on India's part. Captain Suryakumar Yadav explained, "We wanted to stick to our strengths," in response to inquiries regarding the choice to deploy three spinners on a pitch that favored fast bowlers.

Abhishek Sharma, who delivered an impressive performance with 79 runs off 34 balls, noted that the team management's decision was influenced by the prevailing conditions. "I believe it was the team management's decision, and they considered it a better option given these conditions," he stated during the post-match press conference.

The Gautam Gambhir hand behind Mohammed Shami's absence

India's revamped T20 team is entirely the creation of Gautam Gambhir, and it has performed remarkably well thus far, emphasizing condition-specific roles over adherence to a star-driven culture.

The choice to exclude a bowler of Shami's caliber, opting instead for three specialist spinners and a single frontline pacer based on the pitch conditions, represented a strategic move by Gambhir in contrast to the aggressive approach of 'Bazball.' The outcome of this decision was evident, as England managed to score only 67 runs while losing five wickets in the 12 overs bowled by the Indian spinners. Aside from Jos Buttler, the English batsmen struggled to contend with the deliveries from Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel.

Historically, T20 internationals have not been Shami's strongest format, as evidenced by his 23 matches in which he took 24 wickets with an economy rate approaching nine runs per over.

Consequently, Gambhir opted not to reintegrate a veteran bowler returning from a 14-month international absence into conditions that might have rendered his bowling ineffective against Jos Buttler and his team. Ironically, the 34-year-old pacer, who appeared fit, practiced for nearly half an hour in the nets, focusing on hitting the stumps, even as Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav announced the playing XI without him after choosing to bowl first at the toss. Despite a significant strapping on his left knee, Shami had been bowling vigorously in all training sessions.

While Abhishek, one of the newer members of the national team, discussed the importance of team combination, the lingering question remains whether the persistent issue of a swollen left knee after each intense session continues to affect the veteran pacer.

Read Also: The Influence of a German Grandmaster on D Gukesh's Success in Indian and World Chess Titles

"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!"