When Suryakumar Yadav revealed India’s Playing XI for the first T20I against England at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens on Wednesday evening, the absence of Mohammed Shami came as a surprise. The pacer, who had spent much of the previous year recovering from an ankle injury, was expected to make his highly anticipated return to international cricket. However, Shami remained on the bench, with the captain opting for just one frontline pacer, Arshdeep Singh, alongside three spinners – Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, and Axar Patel.

The decision turned out to be a stroke of genius, as India triumphed over England by 7 wickets, chasing down a target of 133 in just 12.5 overs. However, despite the victory and India taking a 1-0 lead in the series, Shami’s absence from the lineup, particularly at a venue where he has a strong domestic history, left fans disappointed. Many were visibly upset over his delayed comeback, including former India opener Aakash Chopra. He believes that the only plausible reason for Shami’s omission is that he has not yet fully recovered from his injury.

“One match has already passed, and there are only four remaining. If he wasn’t part of the first game, it can only mean one thing: he wasn’t fully fit. Had he been fit, there would be no valid reason for not playing, such as the pitch conditions, the desire to play spin, or the decision to include Ravi Bishnoi included as one of the three spinners,” Chopra noted on his YouTube channel.

Suryakumar subtly pointed to team combinations as the reason for Shami’s omission, but Chopra wasn’t convinced. With only four matches left and Shami expected to take on significant bowling duties, especially with Jasprit Bumrah’s availability uncertain, Chopra feels the fact that Shami didn’t feature is a cause for concern. Considering India’s upcoming Champions Trophy, Chopra believes this development should be worrying for the team.

“Don’t try to give me those excuses. Just make the change and play Shami. I’m concerned because there are just four games left, and the turnarounds are quick. Even though you may travel on chartered flights, it still takes a toll. If he couldn’t play, it suggests he’s not fully fit yet, and that’s something we should be worried about,” Chopra added.