Mohammed Shami Bengal
Photo Credit: (Getty Images)

Mohammed Shami, a senior Indian bowler who is still among the best with the new ball, is no longer a candidate for selection to India’s T20 squad.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee reportedly informed the senior custodian of this.

Since the T20 World Cup in 2021, Shami hasn’t played in the shortest format for India. But he has consistently played for India in both Test and ODI matches. According to a source in the Insidesport, the selectors want to trust younger players in the T20s but want to maintain employing Shami in red-ball and 50-over cricket.

Mohammed Shami
Mohammed Shami. (Photo: Twitter)

Mohammed Shami Is Needed For Tests: Sources

Shami isn’t getting any younger and we need him fresh for Tests. That is why he is not being considered for T20s. We have had a chat with him post-T20 World Cup on his workload management. This is how it is going to be now. For now, he is not in plans for T20s and the focus will be on youngsters,” a member of the selection committee told the portal.

The situation with Shami is comparable to that of opening batter Shikhar Dhawan. Dhawan, though, has been benched by the selectors from both Tests and T20Is, despite still being a crucial part of the team’s ODI setup. The principle guiding such a choice is heavily influenced by the players’ workload.

Mohammed Shami (Image Credits: Twitter)
Mohammed Shami (Image Credits: Twitter)

The workload of the players has received a lot of attention from the team management since the T20 World Cup 2021 concluded. Resting the all-format players regularly has been regarded as a crucial strategy to guarantee the players’ readiness for major competitions.

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Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Yuzvendra Chahal, among others, were rested from the West Indies tour even before the Asia Cup. Even Rishabh Pant and Rohit Sharma were excluded.

Also Read: 5 Indian Players From 2018 Asia Cup Winning Squad Won’t Be A Part Of India Squad For Asia Cup 2022