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The pacer would find no luck on his return, as Shami conceded 15 runs in his first two overs in his first T20, and ultimately end up with a subpar spell of 0/25 in 3 overs.
Mohammed Shami back in action for India in the 3rd T20I against England (Screengrab)
It may not have been the dream return to action for India’s Mohammed Shami, but it was a promising return nonetheless as the pacer took to the field for the Men in Blue after over a year in the 3rd T20I against England on Tuesday.
Having elected to bowl first, India handed the ball to their ace pacer Shami to open the innings.
Shami, who last played for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, was sidelined for more than a year due to an ankle surgery and later faced a setback due to issues with his left knee.
The 34-year-old replaced left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh who was rested for the contest.
Shami got off the mark looking good as ever, with the upright seam bouncing off the Rajkot pitch and swinging in classic Shami fashion.
Sunil Gavaskar, who was at the commentary box at that time, was bamboozled by Shami’s seam position. “Oh! Look at the seam position, just shaping away and ramrod straight, lovely,” said Gavaskar raving at Shami’s class.
But, the pacer would find no luck on his return, as Shami conceded 15 runs in his first two overs in his first T20, and ultimately end up with a subpar spell of 0/25 in 3 overs.
Shami’s lack of wickets did not end up being a point of concern for India, as Varun Chakravarty too over the reins and notching a sensational fifer of his own to help constrict England to 171 runs in 20 overs.
Despite his inability to strike tonight, India will be emboldened by the consistency the ace pacer displayed with his lines, pace and seam positioning as he continues to get into shape for the upcoming Champions Trophy next month.
Shami was picked for these five T20Is and the three ODIs to follow in order to get some much-needed overs under his belt, and India will monitor his progress with a keen eye to ensure that the 2023 ODI World Cup star bowler regains his form and confidence in time.
