Mohammed Shami made his long-awaited comeback to competitive cricket for Bengal earlier this week and made an impression in his first match. The pacer scalped seven wickets in the 43.2 overs he bowled in the Rajnji Trophy encounter against Madhya Pradesh. Shami also showcased his power-hitting abilities with the bat and made a quickfire 36 runs. His efforts helped Bengal secure the match by 11 runs, their first win in the ongoing season.
Shami's solid return to cricket also provides a major boost to Team India and it can be safely said that his performance may have assured a flight to Down Under for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In all likelihood Shami should be joining the group in Australia ahead of the second Test, which is day-night affair in Adelaide from December 6.
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The 34-year-old right-arm pacer was out of action since the ODI World Cup 2023 final, which was played on November 19, 2023, in Ahmedabad. Shami's stellar show in domestic cricket will surely catch the eyes of the franchises, who gear up for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction.
After making headlines for his super comeback, Shami took to Instagram to share a post in which he thanked his fans. The veteran of 64 Tests dedicated his performance to fans and wrote: "Finally, The wait is over! After 360 days, I’m back on field , stronger and hungrier. 4 wickets for Bengal in Ranji, and this is just the start. Every delivery, every wicket is dedicated to YOU, my incredible fans. Your love fuels my passion! Let’s make this season unforgettable ! #BackStronger #Bengal #Cricket."
Meanwhile, legendary India captain Sourav Ganguly expressed that Shami should be on the next flight to Australia, and should definitely play the second Test. Ganguly added that the pacer does not need to play the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to prove his fitness.
"Yeah, I will send him to Australia. 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 keeps bowling, he should be on the flight, he has bowled today as well. He should be on the next flight to Australia," Ganguly told RevSportz.
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