Former India captain Sourav Ganguly has expressed strong support for including Mohammed Shami in India’s ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. Ganguly believes the experienced pacer should board the next flight and be a starter in the second Test in Adelaide, a pink-ball affair.
Shami recently made a remarkable return to competitive cricket, playing for Bengal in a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh. After being sidelined for nearly a year due to a knee injury, Shami impressed by taking seven wickets in the match, including a critical last wicket that sealed an 11-run victory for Bengal. He also contributed with the bat, scoring a brisk 37 off 36 balls, his highest First-Class score.
Ganguly’s Strong Recommendation
Highlighting Shami’s immediate impact, Ganguly dismissed the need for the pacer to participate in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to prove his fitness.
“He doesn’t need to play the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. I’ll send him to Australia even if he misses the Perth Test. He has shown he’s fit and ready, and he should be on the next flight,” Ganguly told RevSportz.
Although Shami is not part of the initial Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad, Ganguly emphasized the importance of his inclusion for the latter half of the series, particularly in the Adelaide Test, where his experience and skill with the pink ball could be pivotal.
Childhood Coach Optimistic About Shami’s Return
Shami’s childhood coach, Mohammed Badruddin, shared Ganguly’s optimism. “He will join the team after the second Test in Adelaide. Shami has proven his fitness and taken crucial wickets. He will be vital for the remaining matches,” Badruddin told The Indian Express.
Ganguly on the Perth Test Selection
For the first Test in Perth, Ganguly suggested that Prasidh Krishna should be preferred over Akash Deep due to his height and ability to exploit the pace-friendly conditions.
“Perth will have conditions favoring bowlers, and I think Prasidh Krishna will start ahead of Akash Deep. Shami might miss this game, but he should be ready for Adelaide,” Ganguly added.
India’s Schedule for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy
The highly anticipated series will be played across five venues:
Perth (November 22)
Adelaide (D/N Test)
Brisbane
Melbourne
Sydney
Current Squad Overview
India’s squad includes:
Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Washington Sundar.
Kuldeep Yadav, however, was excluded from the squad due to a chronic left groin issue and has been referred to the BCCI Centre of Excellence for treatment.
India’s team management and fans alike will be hoping for Shami’s return, adding depth and experience to the pace attack for the high-stakes series Down Under.
