India’s ace fast bowler Mohammed Shami remains absent from Bengal’s opening Ranji Trophy match as he continues to recover from an ankle injury, according to PTI. Shami, who underwent surgery earlier this year, has been sidelined since the 2023 ODI World Cup final and is yet to regain full match fitness. The veteran pacer appears to have decided to prioritize a full recovery before returning to the field.
Mohammed Shami during a test match (Getty)
Shami had previously expressed his desire to play domestic cricket as a way of assessing his fitness before returning 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.
But for now, the Bengal team will have to survive the early part of the season without their best fast bowler.
While Shami’s absence will be felt, Bengal have been strengthened by the return of two veteran players, Wriddhiman Saha and Sudip Chatterjee. Saha, an experienced wicketkeeper-batsman who made his Bengal debut in 2007 and left the team in 2022 due to differences with the Cricket Board of Bengal (CAB), is set to return.
During his vacation, Saha played for Tripura, playing both the role of a coach and a player, but is now ready to return to Bengal colors and strengthen the batting line-up.
The return of Sudip Chatterjee is another positive for Bengal. A reliable top-order batsman, Chatterjee has been a consistent performer for the team and will be key to their success in the early stages of the tournament.
Bengal campaign starts vs UP
Led by captain Anustap Majumdar, Bengal’s 19-member squad is scheduled to play their first match against Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow on October 11, followed by a home game against Bihar.
Team: Anusthap Majumdar (captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gulami, Sudip Chatterjee, Wriddhiman Saha, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abhishek Porel, Hrithik Chatterjee, Abirin Ghosh, Shwam Dey, Akash Deep, Mukesh – Kumar, Suraj Jaiwal, Mohd Kaif, Pradipta Pramanik, Aamir Ghani, Yudhajit Guha, Rohit Kumar, Rishav Vivek.
