Mohammed Shami to miss ENG T20Is despite selection; KL Rahul's new role and Kuldeep Yadav update revealed
Published - 12 Jan 2025, 11:17 AM | Updated - 12 Jan 2025, 11:22 AM
Table of Contents
The India National Cricket Team for England ODIs remains the major talking point as it will give a clear picture of what team will be there for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. The eight-nation tournament is all set to be played from 19th February to 9th March in Pakistan and Dubai.
On Saturday (11th January), BCCI announced the Indian squad for the five-match T20I series against the England National Cricket Team. What was the biggest positive was premier pacer Mohammed Shami was back in the team after a prolonged injury, which saw him out of action for the year.
Mohammed Shami will be playing his first game in the India colors for the first time since the ICC World Cup 2023
Mohammed Shami will be playing his first game in the Indian colors after the final of the ICC World Cup 2023. He recently played a few domestic games as well, but the swelling in his knees made him face another setback, and his return to the India National Cricket Team was delayed.
But as per the reports in PTI, it is learned that Mohammed Shami won't be playing all five games of the T20I series in England. This is because the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) wants to select him in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 squad. Mohammed Shami is also expected to play three ODIs as well.
KL Rahul, if selected, will be picked as a specialist batter in England ODIs
The reports also claimed that there is no clarity over the selection of KL Rahul in the ODI series against the England National Cricket Team. It is learned that if he is picked, he will be there in the team as a specialist batter and not as a wicket-keeper batter.
KL Rahul hasn't been at his fluent best in the ODIs. His innings in the final of the ICC World Cup 2023 are still fresh in the minds of many. The keeper-batter, although slammed a half-century, got stuck on the crease as he failed to hit boundaries when they were needed.
If he misses the England ODIs, there are chances that he might not be there in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025. Recently, some reports claimed that Rishabh Pant is all set to be the first-choice keeper, and there are chances that Sanju Samson will be the second keeper.
The selection of Kuldeep Yadav for England ODIs purely will depend on his fitness report
On the other hand, the selection of Kuldeep Yadav purely will depend on how the wrist spinner will fare in the Fitness Test. He will be named in the India squad for the three-match ODI series against the England National Cricket Team only if he is deemed fit by the team at NCA.
The reports in Dainik Jagran suggested that Kuldeep Yadav is currently at the NCA and his fitness report will come around 25th-26th January. Only after that, his selection for the ODI series against the England National Cricket Team will be taken.
