The curious case of Mohammed Shami

Shami, who has proved his fitness in practice sessions and domestic cricket for Bengal, was not included in India`s playing XI for the first T20I

He bowled for close to half an hour at the side nets, targeting stumps, even as skipper Suryakumar Yadav announced the playing XI without including him

Post match, Abhishek Sharma clarified that Shami was dropped on account of conditions and the combinations that team management found to be conducive

All eyes were on his return after a 14-month injury lay-off, but India opted for three spinners instead, a decision that paid off as England was all out for 132

Having undergone surgery and rehab following an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup, Shami had made an impressive return in domestic cricket

Going by his 11-yr international career, T20Is haven`t been his strongest suit as he played 23 of them with 24 wickets and economy rate of nearly 9 runs an over

Shami himself spoke about his eagerness to return, emphasizing the hard work he put into proving his fitness by playing in all three domestic formats for Bengal

Shami`s comeback has drawn significant attention in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy, especially with a fitness cloud hanging over star pacer Jasprit Bumrah

Shami`s next opportunity to prove his readiness will likely come later in the series, with India aiming to find the right balance ahead of the Champions Trophy