IND v ENG 2025: “Just cut it and play Shami’- Aakash Chopra asks Suryakumar and Gambhir to stop giving 'excuses'

Mohammad Shami last played for India in 2023 World Cup final on November 2023.

Mohammad Shami  |Getty

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has urged India captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir to stop giving excuses and include India pacer Mohammad Shami in the XI for the remainder of the T20Is against England.

Mohammad Shami, who had spent the majority of last year on the sidelines recovering from an ankle ailment, was set to make his long-awaited international return.

But, astonishingly, Shami warmed the benches, starting with only one frontline pacer, Arshdeep Singh, and three spinners, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel.

India demolished England by 7 wickets, as the visitors were bowled out for 132 runs after being asked to bat first. Varun Chakaravarthy picked 3/22, while Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and Axar Patel picked two wickets apiece.

In reply, Abhishek Sharma smoked 79 runs in 34 balls with 8 sixes and 5 fours as India chased down the target in 12.5 overs to go 1-0 up in the five-match series. But the talk of the town remained Mohammad Shami’s exclusion from India's playing XI.

Aakash Chopra believes that the only possible explanation for Shami's exclusion is that he has not yet fully recovered.

"One match has passed, and only four are left. He hasn't played the first match, and if he hasn't played, the only meaning of that is he wasn't 100 percent fit. If he had been fit, no excuse would work, that the pitch wasn't good, you wanted to play spin, you wished to play Ravi Bishnoi as well, and wanted to go with three spinners," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Suryakumar subtly mentioned team combinations as the cause for Shami's absence, but Chopra was having none of it. Shami is anticipated to shoulder the India pacer bowling unit against England in ODIs and the ICC Champions Trophy, with Jasprit Bumrah's participation doubtful due to injury.

Chopra reckons the fact that the speedster didn't play should be a worrisome development.

"Please don't give me that. Just cut the thing and play Shami. I am a little worried. Four matches are left but the turnarounds are quick. Traveling also takes a toll. You might go in chartered flights but it's tough. He couldn't play the match. It means he is still not fully fit, and that is a thing we should be worried about," Chopra observed.

It remains to be seen whether Mohammad Shami will play in the rest of the four T20Is as the second match is slated in Chennai on Saturday, January 25.

 
 

By Jatin Sharma - 23 Jan, 2025

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