'After Rohit, Gautam Gambhir's next target is Mohammed Shami': Fans baffled as pacer ignored for 1st ENG T20I

The five-match T20I series between India and England got underway on Wednesday (January 22) at the Eden Gardens. Apart from the game being India's first home game of the year, the fans were also looking forward to the contest because of Mohammed Shami's much-awaited return.

The veteran pacer returned to the Indian team after more than a year. Mohammed Shami last played for the Men in Blue during the 2023 World Cup final in November 2023. Immediately after the World Cup, he was sidelined due to an ankle injury and had to undergo surgery as well.

The right-arm pacer finally returned to competitive cricket after almost a year when he represented Bengal in domestic cricket in November last year. After proving his match fitness, Shami earned a recall from the Indian team for the five-match T20I series against England.

Unsurprisingly, the Indian cricketing fraternity was expecting the pacer's name in the India Playing XI for the series opener. However, the Indian team management decided against including Shami in the playing eleven for the first T20I.

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And as soon as India's playing team was announced, the fans took to X to express their surprise over the decision. Here are some of the reactions.

No Mohammed Shami in the first T20I game? Wtf is this decision. pic.twitter.com/JvOvSoO5eL

— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan) January 22, 2025

If Mohammed Shami is fit, it was a braindead call to not have him in the Playing XI. You need to test his bowling fitness NOW.

If there are still doubts, Mohammed Siraj better get his Dubai visa done.

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) January 22, 2025

No Mohammed Shami, after all that. 😳#INDvENG

— Jamie Alter 🇮🇳 (@alter_jamie) January 22, 2025

Mohammed Shami reaction after the Toss.#INDvENG #INDvsENG #MohammedShami pic.twitter.com/JxPqFZjafi

— RR_Cricket_Book (@RRCricBook) January 22, 2025

After Rohit Sharma, Gambhir's next target is Md Shami 💔 pic.twitter.com/4SaEGS3LYx

— Ctrl C Ctrl Memes (@Ctrlmemes_) January 22, 2025

Mohammad Shami is not playing in your home ground
Disappointed everyone.#INDvENG

— Jay Prakash Rajpoot (@Jayrajpt) January 22, 2025

No Mohammed Shami in the playing XI. Thats a shocker. There is no sense in not playing him unless he isn’t fit. #INDvENG

— Vishesh Roy (@vroy38) January 22, 2025

Mohammed Shami not in the playing XI? Thats the news from Eden Gardens. That’s strange. Indian playing XI keeps surprising us. #INDvsENG #MohammedShami #ChampionsTrophy2025

— Sumit Ghosh (@SumitG71) January 22, 2025

Shami not fit or Playing 11 combination ?

— रोहित जुगलान Rohit Juglan (@rohitjuglan) January 22, 2025

If Mohammed Shami is fit, it was a braindead call to not have him in the Playing XI. You need to test his bowling fitness NOW.

If there are still doubts, Mohammed Siraj better get his Dubai visa done.

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) January 22, 2025

No Mohammed Shami in India's Playing XI:

Team India captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and opted to bowl first in the first T20I against England. Speaking at the toss, Suryakumar said that the pitch looked sticky, implying that the batsmen might struggle to play their shots early on.

We will look to bowl first. The wicket looks sticky, there will be dew later on. It will be heavier later on. The boys have been amazing. The preparations have been good, looking forward to this series. It's going to be great competition between both the sides. A good headache, we want to stick to our strengths," said Suryakumar.

As far as the team combination is concerned, India have opted to include just one frontline pacer in the team. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh is the only frontline pacer in the playing eleven with Hardik Pandya and Nitish Reddy being the other fast-bowling options.

Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakravarthy are the two frontline spinners in the team with Axar Patel being the other spin-bowling option.

India Playing 11 for first T20I:

Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson(w), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy