India fast bowler Mohammed Shami is set to return to competitive cricket for the first time in almost a year. He last played in the ODI World Cup final against Australia on November 19, 2023, and will finally turn up for Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy in the game against Madhya Pradesh starting November 13 (Wednesday).
Shami wasn't picked in India's Test squad for the Australia tour but the latest development has given hope that he might tour Australia at least in the second half in case he proves his match fitness. Interestingly, when it was announced for the fourth and fifth rounds, Shami wasn't picked in Bengal's squad. "Shami's inclusion in the Bengal team will not just be a big boost but also lift the morale of the entire team, which aims to make it to the next round of the Ranji Trophy.
"Shami, who has been out of competitive action since India's ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad last November, will spearhead the Bengal pace bowling attack against Madhya Pradesh," the statement from the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) read. He will join the Bengal squad later today in Indore and will feature in the match on Wednesday having received the necessary clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA)
Bengal Ranji Trophy squad: Anustup Majumdar, Wriddhiman Saha, Sudip Chatterjee, Sudip Kr Gharami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Writtick Chatterjee, Avilin Ghosh, Shuvam Dey, Shakir Habib Gandhi, Pradipta Pramanik, Aamir Gani, Ishan Porel, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Md Kaif, Rohit Kumar, Rishav Vivek, Mohammed Shami
Shami for the Australia tour?
This development is massive for the Indian Test team which has landed in Australia. If Shami proves his match fitness, he could be well be added to the Test squad as there is a 10-day gap between the first and second Test match. The first Test in Perth is scheduled to end on November 26 and the second Test will commence on December 6 in Adelaide.
It is a day-night Test and team India is also set to play a two-day warm-up game with a pink ball against Prime Minister's XI before the second Test. In case, Shami is added to India's squad, he will get a chance to play the warm-up encounter too increasing his chances of making a comeback to international cricket.
