Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has backed the Indian team management's careful attitude in not rushing Mohammad Shami back into international cricket during the first T20I against England in Kolkata, despite his lengthy injury hiatus.
Despite establishing his fitness in practice and domestic matches for Bengal, Shami was not chosen for India's first T20I against England on Wednesday.
The expectation for Shami's return after a 14-month injury absence was considerable, but India's strategic decision to select three spinners paid off well. England was bowled out for 132, with Varun Chakaravarthy taking 3/23 and Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel taking two wickets each.
Then Abhishek Sharma’s 79 runs with 8 sixes and 5 fours dismantled the England bowling attack as India achieved the target in 12.5 overs and won the match by 7 wickets.
According to Irfan Pathan, Shami possesses sufficient experience to evaluate his physical condition accurately.
"When you've been such a seasoned campaigner and are among India's top 10 bowlers, you understand your body's limits well. Shami always provides honest feedback to the team management, and decisions are made through mutual communication. Recovery at the highest level takes time, especially after playing consistently. I believe he and the team management will make the right call at the right time,” Irfan Pathan was quoted by Times of India.
Shami has been picked for India's white-ball team for the five-match T20I and three-match One-Day International series against England. This series will act as preparation for the Champions Trophy next month, with the team's pace leader, Jasprit Bumrah, still awaiting fitness clearance.
During the five-match Test series in Australia, Bumrah suffered a back niggle and was unable to bowl in the second innings of the fifth Test in Sydney. In this environment, Shami's availability for the Champions Trophy is critical to India's chances.
Irfan also expressed concern about the lack of a pace-bowling backup in the Champions Trophy squad, claiming that Mohammed Siraj may have been a helpful addition given Bumrah's uncertain fitness situation.
"You need a backup pacer. Siraj could have been a good option. In Dubai, playing four spinners isn't viable. With Bumrah and Shami returning from injuries, it won't be easy for them straight away. A pacer like Siraj would have filled that gap. That said, we hope the selectors' choices perform well, and we should back them," he added.
Irfan Pathan also urged the fans not to equate Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s struggles with the bat in Tests with their potential in white-ball cricket, emphasizing their proven capabilities in the shorter formats.
"They'll start scoring runs in white-ball cricket; there's no doubt about that. Test cricket is a different ball game altogether. Adjustments are needed, whether it's Virat managing deliveries outside the off-stump or Rohit finding his rhythm. ODI is their favorite format, and they'll bounce back strongly,” Pathan said.
Irfan also stressed the importance of domestic cricket, urging players to participate regularly.
"It's about playing domestic cricket, but do not play a couple of matches just for the sake of it and show that you've played. Playing regularly benefits both players and Indian cricket. For young players, competing against the likes of Kohli or Rohit at the domestic level can be a tremendous confidence boost, as they would also raise their levels to bowl to them. Ultimately, Indian cricket gains from this," he added.
(Times of India inputs)
