The veteran pacer has been recovering from an ankle injury that required surgery earlier this year, which has kept him on the sidelines since the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup final. Shami, known for his match-winning spells, had expressed his desire to use domestic cricket to test his fitness before eyeing a return to the international stage. "If I need to play domestic cricket to test my fitness, I will. What matters most is being fully ready for whatever comes next, regardless of the opposition or format," Shami said recently. Despite his absence, Bengal will be bolstered by the return of experienced wicketkeeper-batter Wriddhiman Saha and top-order batsman Sudip Chatterjee for the first two matches of the season. Saha, who made his Bengal debut back in 2007, is making a notable comeback after parting ways with the team in 2022 due to disagreements with the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). He had since joined Tripura as both a mentor and player but is now set to don Bengal colors once again, strengthening the team's experienced core. Under the leadership of captain Anustup Majumdar, the 19-member Bengal squad is all set to face Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow on October 11. This will be followed by a home clash against Bihar. Expectations are high for Bengal, who have been consistent contenders in recent seasons, and the return of seasoned players like Saha and Chatterjee will provide a much-needed boost to their campaign. Bengal Squad: Anustup Majumdar (captain), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gharami, Sudip Chatterjee, Wriddhiman Saha, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abishek Porel, Writtick Chatterjee, Avilin Ghosh, Shuvam Dey, Akash Deep, Mukesh Kumar, Suraj Jaiswal, Mohd Kaif, Pradipta Pramanik, Aamir Gani, Yudhajit Guha, Rohit Kumar and Rishav Vivek.