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Former pace bowling all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes the Indian team think tank made the right decision by delaying Mohammed Shami's international return following a prolong injury lay-off by not fielding him in the first T20I against England in Kolkata.
Shami was not included in India's playing XI for the first T20I against England on Wednesday, despite proving his fitness in practice sessions and domestic cricket for Bengal.
All eyes were on Shami's return after a 14-month injury lay-off, but India opted for a three-pronged spin attack instead, a decision that paid off as they bowled out England for a meagre 132 before cruising to the target in 12.5 overs with seven wickets in hand.
"When you've been such a seasoned campaigner and are among India's top 10 bowlers, you understand your body's limits well," said Irfan at a promotional event in Kolkata.
"Shami always provides honest feedback to the team management, and decisions are made through mutual communication. Recovery at the highest level takes time, especially after playing consistently. I believe, he and the team management will make the right call at the right time."
Having undergone surgery and rehab following an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he finished as India's top wicket-taker, Shami had made an impressive return in domestic cricket, representing Bengal across all three formats.
Shami has been chosen in India's white-ball rubber squad against England consisting five T20Is and three ODIs which will act as a build up to the Champions Trophy next month, where the team's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah's inclusion is subject to fitness.
Bumrah suffered a back niggle in the gruelling five-match Test series in Australia and could not bowl in the second innings of the fifth Test in Sydney, and in this context Shami's availability for the Champions Trophy is crucial to India's prospects.
Irfan also expressed concerns over the lack of a pace-bowling backup in the Champions Trophy-bound squad, suggesting that Mohammed Siraj could have been included given Bumrah's uncertain fitness.
"You need a backup pacer. Siraj could have been a good option. In Dubai, playing four spinners isn't viable. With Bumrah and Shami returning from injuries, it won't be easy for them straight away," he observed.
"A pacer like Siraj would have filled that gap. That said, we hope the selectors' choices perform well, and we should back them," he added.
Irfan also addressed the poor form of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during India's 1-3 series defeat in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy -- India's first series loss in a decade.
He advised fans not to conflate the celebrated duo's Test struggles with their prospects in white-ball cricket.
"They'll start scoring runs in white-ball cricket; there's no doubt about that," Irfan said.
"Test cricket is a different ball game altogether. Adjustments are needed, whether it's Virat managing deliveries outside the off-stump or Rohit finding his rhythm. ODI is their favourite format, and they'll bounce back strongly."
Recalling India's resilience during the 2003-04 Australia tour, Irfan further shared a motivational anecdote.
"Back then, Dean Jones visited our dressing room and mentioned how outsiders thought our team environment was broken. But we showed unity on the field and drew the series 1-1. Indian cricket is always above individual concerns," he asserted.
Irfan also stressed the importance of domestic cricket, urging players to participate regularly.
"It's about playing domestic cricket but do not play a couple of matches just for the sake of it and show that you've played.
"Playing regularly benefits both players and Indian cricket. For young players, competing against the likes of Kohli or Rohit at the domestic level can be a tremendous confidence boost as they would also raise their levels to bowl to them. Ultimately, Indian cricket gains from this," he added.
