Mohammed Shami, one of India’s best fast bowlers, is yet to regain full match fitness and will not be included in the Bengal squad for the opening Ranji Trophy match. The veteran pacer is recovering from an ankle injury that required surgery earlier this year, which has kept him sidelined since the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup final.
Shami, known for his match-winning spells, had expressed a desire to use domestic cricket to test his fitness before aiming to return to the international stage. “If I have to play domestic cricket to test my fitness, I will play. The most important thing is that I am fully ready for whatever happens next, regardless of the opponent or the format. ” Shami said recently. Despite his absence, Bengal will be strengthened by the return of experienced wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha and top-order batsman Sudip Chatterjee for the first two matches of the season.
Saha, who made his Bengal debut in 2007, has made a remarkable comeback after parting ways with the team in 2022 following differences with the Cricket Board of Bengal (CAB). He has since joined Tripura as a coach-cum-player and will now don the Bengal colors once again, strengthening the team’s experienced core.
The 19-member Bengal squad, under the direction of captain Anustap Majumdar, is scheduled to take on Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow on October 11. This will be followed by a home match against Bihar. Expectations are high for Bengal, who have been consistent favorites for the past few seasons, and the return of veteran players like Saha and Chatterjee will give their campaign a much-needed boost.
Bengal squad: Anusthap Majumdar (captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gulami, Sudip Chatterjee, Wriddhiman Saha, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abhishek Porel, Hrithik Chatterjee, Abirin Ghosh, Shubham Dey, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Suraj Jaiswal, Mohd Kaif, Pradipta Pramanik, Aamir Ghani, Yudhajit Guha, Rohit Kumar, Rishav Vivek.
Publisher:
Saurabh Kumar
Publication date:
October 8, 2024
