The former batter Aakash Chopra has been disappointed with Mohammed Shami’s absence during the first T20I of the England tour of India 2025.
When Suryakumar Yadav announced the playing 11 for the 1st T20I against England, the absence of Shami shocked the cricketing community.
The Indian pacer has spent last year on the sidelines, recovering from an ankle injury, was set to make his much-awaited international comeback.
But he was benched with the captain chose to play with one pacer in Arshdeep Singh and three spinners in the form of Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel.
The Men in Blues proved to secure a comfortable win defeating them by chasing 133 runs in just 12.5 overs. Fans seemed visibly upset on Shami’s comeback delayed including Aakash Chopra.
The former cricketer believes that the only possible explanation for Shami’s exclusion is that he has not yet fully recovered.
“One match has passed, and only four are left. He hasn’t played the first match, and if he hasn’t played, the only meaning of that is he wasn’t 100 per cent fit.”
“If he had been fit, no excuse would work, that the pitch wasn’t good, you wanted to play spin, you wished to play Ravi Bishnoi as well, and wanted to go with three spinners,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Meanwhile Suryakumar Yadav referred to team combinations as the reason behind Shami being benched, but Chopra did not accept it.
With four matches remaining, Shami likely to shoulder responsibilities amid Bumrah‘s uncertainity for the Champions Trophy 2025.
“Please don’t give me that. Just cut the thing and play Shami. I am a little worried. Four matches are left but the turnarounds are quick.”
“Traveling also takes a toll. You might go in chartered flights but it’s tough. He couldn’t play the match. It means he is still not fully fit, and that is a thing we should be worried about,” Chopra observed.
The second match of the T20I series will begin on January 25 at M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.
