Mohammed Shami's return to competitive cricket delayed, won't play Ranji
What's the story
Indian pacer Mohammed Shami's much-awaited return to professional cricket has been delayed. The experienced pacer wasn't named in the Bengal squad for the next two Ranji Trophy rounds, against Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. This comes despite Shami's recent statement at a promotional event, where he had said he was ready to play again after recovering from an injury.
Fitness evaluation
Shami's fitness test in real-match situation postponed
Shami was scheduled to play the match against Karnataka, a move aimed at testing his fitness in a match situation. This plan was made considering his full-tilt bowling in nets after India's recent Test against New Zealand, even with bandages on his operated leg. During this session, he was under the watchful eye of India's bowling coach Morne Morkel.
Recovery progress
Shami expresses optimism about his recovery
At a recent promotional event, Shami sounded confident about his recovery. He said, "I had been bowling with half a run-up on and off since I can't put too much stress on my body. So, we decided that I would bowl properly, and I gave my 100%." He added that he felt great and was hopeful of returning to the field soon.
Captain's view
Rohit Sharma on Shami's return
Indian cricket team captain, Rohit Sharma, has also shared his views on Shami's return. Speaking in Bengaluru recently, he said that they don't want to take an "undercooked Shami" to Australia. "We are keeping our fingers crossed," Rohit had said. This shows a cautious approach toward ensuring Shami's full recovery before his reintegration into competitive cricket.
Squad changes
Bengal squad to miss key players in upcoming matches
Apart from Shami, the Bengal team will also miss key players such as opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel, and fast bowler Mukesh Kumar for the upcoming Ranji Trophy matches. The players are currently with the India A squad Down Under. However, veteran wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha will feature in the matches. He is set to retire from cricket after this domestic season.
Information
A look at Bengal's squad
Bengal's squad: Anustup Majumdar (captain), Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Sudip Chatterjee, Sudip Gharami, Shahbaz Ahmed, Writtick Chatterjee, Avilin Ghosh, Shuvam Dey, Shakir Habib Gandhi, Pradipta Pramanik, Aamir Gani, Ishan Porel, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mohammed Kaif, Rohit Kumar, and Rishav Vivek.