Is it finally the end of the road for Mohammed Shami in Indian colors? This is the burning question echoing through the cricketing world after the BCCI announced the ODI squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand. While the team list is out, the selection criteria have come under heavy fire from fans and experts alike.
The Captaincy and Comebacks
Shubman Gill returns to lead the side, with Shreyas Iyer named as his deputy—a move that has raised eyebrows considering Iyer is reportedly still recovering from an abdominal injury. While Mohammed Siraj makes his anticipated return to the squad, the most shocking omission remains the veteran pacer, Mohammed Shami.
The Shami Conundrum: Injury or Injustice?
It is almost hard to believe that Shami, India’s highest wicket-taker across two ODI World Cups, finds himself in the cold. Even when battling through excruciating foot injuries, he ran in tirelessly for his country. His last ODI appearance was the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand on March 9th.
Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar has cited injury concerns as the reason for his absence. However, Shami’s recent domestic exploits tell a different story. Representing Bengal, Shami has been “breathing fire” in the Ranji Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali, and the Vijay Hazare Trophy, consistently bowling his full quota of overs
“If I can bowl all day for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, why can’t I do it for India?” Shami questioned in a recent interview.
Despite this, the selectors have opted for the inexperienced Harshit Rana over the seasoned veteran. This has led many to wonder: Has the sun finally set on Shami’s illustrious international career?
Notable Omissions and Shock Inclusions
The squad list features several other controversial calls:
- Hardik Pandya: Despite smashing a 68-ball century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Pandya is missing. The committee claims he has been rested due to injury concerns.
- The Keepers: Rishabh Pant makes his way back into the squad, though KL Rahul remains the primary choice behind the stumps.
- The Snubbed Centurions: Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored a century in his last ODI, finds himself dropped. Similarly, Devdutt Padikkal, who has been playing like a titan with four centuries in his last five Vijay Hazare matches, has been inexplicably overlooked.
India is set to face New Zealand starting January 11th. Here is the 15-man squad tasked with the challenge:
India Squad:
Shubman Gill (C), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Shreyas Iyer (VC), Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal.