Right-arm fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been excluded from India’s playing XI for the first T20I against England at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Despite expectations that he would make his return to international cricket after recovering from injury, Shami’s absence has raised eyebrows among fans.
Reasons for Mohammed Shami’s exclusion
The decision to leave Shami out of the squad comes as India opts to heavily back their spin department for this match. Captain Suryakumar Yadav revealed that the team management decided to include only one specialist pacer, Arshdeep Singh, while relying on pace-bowling all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
“The wicket looks sticky, there will be dew later on. It will be heavier later on,” Yadav said at the toss. “Selection a good headache, sticking to our strengths,” he said when asked about Shami’s absence.
Meanwhile, England have made several changes in their T20I squad and appointed Brendon McCullum as their new white-ball coach. Boasting a lineup packed with batting powerhouses, the team appears formidable on paper, promising an explosive start in the first T20I.
“Looks a good wicket, I’m sure it’s going to be a good match. There will be some dew around. It’s a great ground, it’s an honour to play against India in these conditions,” said England skipper Jos Buttler after losing the toss. “McCullum taking charge, he has a lot of experience. It’s going to be a challenge, we are right up for it. There is some incredible talent in both sides,” he added.
Also READ: Michael Vaughan predicts the winner and scoreline of IND vs ENG T20I series
IND vs ENG: Playing XI of both teams
India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy
England: Ben Duckett, Philip Salt (wk), Jos Buttler (c), Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Also READ: BCCI responds to reports of Pakistan’s name being removed from India’s jersey for Champions Trophy 2025
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