Shami’s Stellar Return: A Beacon for India Ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Mohammed Shami marked his return to competitive cricket in style, playing a pivotal role in Bengal’s 11-run win over Madhya Pradesh in a thrilling Ranji Trophy encounter. The seasoned pacer, who had been sidelined for a year due to injury, claimed seven wickets across both innings and contributed vital runs with the bat, signaling a strong comeback.

Shami’s performance comes at a crucial time for Team India, which is preparing for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia with a relatively inexperienced pace attack.

Match Summary:

Madhya Pradesh won the toss and elected to field. Bengal managed a modest 228 in their first innings, with Shahbaz Ahmed leading the charge with a blistering 92 off 80 balls. Madhya Pradesh’s Aryan Pandey (4/47) and Kulwant Khejroliya (4/84) were instrumental in restricting Bengal.

In reply, Madhya Pradesh struggled against Shami’s fiery bowling, posting only 167 runs. Shami claimed 4/54, supported by Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal and Mohammed Kaif, who shared four wickets between them. Bengal took a 61-run lead.

In the second innings, Bengal capitalized on their advantage, scoring 276 runs. Writtick Chatterjee (52) and Wriddhiman Saha (44) steadied the innings, while Shami chipped in with a crucial 37 off 36 balls, including two sixes. Madhya Pradesh was set a challenging target of 338.

Despite spirited knocks from Shubham Sharma (61), Venkatesh Iyer (53), and Subhranshu Senapati (50), Madhya Pradesh fell short, bowled out for 326. Shami added three more wickets to his tally, finishing with match figures of 7/156. Shahbaz Ahmed’s 4/48 in the second innings earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award.

Shami’s Comeback:

Shami’s return to domestic cricket follows an extraordinary ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, where he emerged as the leading wicket-taker with 24 scalps at an average of 10.70. His standout performance came against New Zealand in the semi-final, where he registered 7/57. Despite his absence from India’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign, Shami’s recent display underlines his readiness to rejoin the national team.

Looking Ahead:

With the ICC Champions Trophy and IPL 2025 on the horizon, Shami’s experience will be a key asset for India. His Test record in Australia, where he has taken 31 wickets in eight matches, further strengthens his case for inclusion in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India’s Squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy:

Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (Wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant (Wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar.

Shami’s comeback has bolstered India’s prospects ahead of the marquee series in Perth, promising a lethal combination of experience and young talent in the pace department.