India vs England: Why is Mohammed Shami not playing 1st T20 in Kolkata?

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India vs England: India's decision to omit Mohammed Shami from the playing XI for the first T20I against England at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, has raised eyebrows among fans and experts alike.

Mohammed Shami, who was seen bowling at full throttle in the nets minutes before the toss, was surprisingly left out in what is now seen as a tactical move by skipper Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir.

Announcing the decision at the toss, Suryakumar said, "We will look to bowl first. The wicket looks sticky, there will be dew later on. It will be heavier later on. The boys have been amazing. The preparations have been good, looking forward to this series. It's going to be great competition between both the sides. A good headache, we want to stick to our strengths. Mohammed Shami, Dhruv Jurel, Washington, and Harshit sitting out."

Mohammed Shami misses out over tactical decision

Shami, who has not featured in international cricket since the 2023 ODI World Cup, was declared fit ahead of the match. His absence, however, appears to be part of a broader strategy. India opted for a bowling combination featuring one regular pacer, Arshdeep Singh, supported by pace all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy. This allowed the team to include three spinners -- Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel -- on a surface that is expected to assist spinners more than pacers.

The Eden Gardens pitch, as explained by experts Deep Dasgupta and Nick Knight, has dimensions and characteristics favoring high-scoring games. While the pitch offered a hint of green, the expectation was for minimal spin assistance and significant dew as the game progressed.

Despite calls to rush Shami back into action, especially during the Border-Gavaskar series earlier this year, the BCCI medical team maintained that he was not yet 100% fit for prolonged matches. Shami's absence in that series contributed to India's 3-1 defeat against Australia and their failure to secure a spot in the World Test Championship final. However, his strong performances in domestic cricket sparked renewed optimism about his return to the national setup.

Ultimately, the decision to rest Shami in Kolkata reflects India's cautious approach to his workload and a desire to fine-tune their squad for the series while prioritizing fitness and long-term goals.