“What Doesn’t Make Sense Is…”: Ex-India Batter After Mohammed Shami’s T20 World Cup Selection

The BCCI selection Committee on Friday named Mohammed Shami as injured Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement in India’s T20 World Cup squad. Bumrah has been ruled out of competitive cricket for an indefinite period due to stress related injury on his back. “The All-India Senior Selection Committee has named Mohammed Shami as Jasprit Bumrah’s replacement in India’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup squad. Shami has reached Australia and will link up with the squad in Brisbane ahead of the warm-up matches,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah was quoted in a press release.

Indian fast bowling line-up now includes Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh. Earlier, several former cricketers and ex-BCCI selectors including Dilip Vengsarkar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth said that they would have loved to see Shami in the squad. Now, former India batter Aakash Chopra has pointed to an interesting point regarding Shami missing from Indian T20I team after the 2021 T20 World Cup.

“Shami to replace Bumrah. Makes perfect sense. What doesn’t make sense is the fact that he hasn’t played a single T20i since the last World Cup. And that’s got nothing to do with his fitness. He was always available…” Chopra tweeted.

Shami to replace Bumrah. Makes perfect sense.
What doesn’t make sense is the fact that he hasn’t played a single T20i since the last World Cup. And that’s got nothing to do with his fitness. He was always available…

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) October 14, 2022

Shami had last played in T20 Internationals during the last edition of the ICC T20 World Cup in the UAE. He was supposed to play in the six T20Is at home against Australia and South Africa but tested positive for CIVID-19 and had to remain in isolation. On return he had to prove his fitness before NCA approved his trip to Australia. Shami has played 17 T20Is and has taken 18 wickets.

Promoted

India squad for ICC T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami.

(With PTI inputs)