India vs England: Mohammed Shami left out of Kolkata T20I
What's the story
In a blow to the Indian cricket team, fast bowler Mohammed Shami was left out of the Playing XI for the first match of the five-game T20I series against England being held at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
The decision has dampened hopes of Shami's much-awaited return to international cricket.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav confirmed the same at the toss, with India electing to field.
Appearance
Shami eyes return to international cricket
Shami last played for India in the ODI World Cup final against Australia in November 2023 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The upcoming T20I series against England will be his return to international cricket after a long break of over a year.
This series allows Shami not just to make a strong return but also to achieve a personal milestone of 450 international wickets and join an elite company of Indian pacers.
Squad exclusions
Other players excluded from India's T20I squad
Along with Shami, other players such as Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel, and Harshit Rana were also left out of the match.
The Indian team chose Arshdeep Singh as their leading fast bowler instead. He was backed by all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Despite worries of evening dew at Eden Gardens, three spinners were part of the squad.
Twitter Post
India's Playing XI for Kolkata T20I
A look at our Playing XI đź”˝
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 22, 2025
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