Comeback-man Shami in focus as India eye fresh start against England

Fitagain pacer Mohammed Shamis comeback would be keenly watched when the Suryakumar Yadavled Indian T20 team takes on an evenlymatched England in a fivematch series starting here on Wednesday aiming to make up for the recent Test disasters that have caused considerable turmoil and heartbreakThe whiteball rubber comprising five T20Is and three ODIs after that presents an ideal platform for both the teams to experiment with combinations and assess form before next months Champions TrophyShami despite missing four matches emerged as Indias leading wickettaker in the ODI World Cup 2023 with 24 scalps including a sensational 757 in the semifinal against New Zealand at the WankhedeInterestingly the pacer has claimed the same number of wickets 24 at an average of 2962 in his limited T20I career and will aim to improve on that while proving his fitnessShami was sidelined after the lost final against Australia on November 19 2023 due to an ankle injury that required surgery The recovery from that was followed by swelling on his left knee during the domestic comeback some weeks backFollowing his inclusion in Indias Champions Trophy squad Shamis return will garner national attentionWith pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah nursing a back injury and his Champions Trophy participation doubtful Shamis comeback assumes greater significanceThe 34yearold made his competitive return in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal guiding them to their first win of the season with a sevenwicket haulHe followed it up with impressive performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 11 wickets and the Vijay Hazare Trophy five wicketsShamis T20I career has been sporadic with just 23 appearances since his debut in 2014 His last outing in the format was against England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semifinalWith the Rohit Sharmaled Indian Test setup still reeling from a horror tour of Australia a good performance from the T20 side has become imperative especially after the Board had to step in to reinforce diktats on team disciplineAxars new beginningAllrounder Axar Patel will debut as Indias vicecaptain in the T20I formatHe has been rewarded for his stellar allround contributions in Indias triumphant T20 World Cup campaign in the Caribbean last yearAxar played a crucial knock of 47 off 31 balls in the final against South Africa and took nine wickets at an average of 1922 across eight matchesThe Gujarat player has already outlined his vision for Indias middle order emphasising a flexible approach with players floating between No 3 to 7 depending on match situationsCurious case of Sanju SamsonAll eyes will also be on Keralas Sanju Samson who faces another critical juncture in his career after being omitted from Indias Champions Trophy squadHe was subsequently ignored by Kerala selectors for their Ranji Trophy match against Madhya PradeshThe wicketkeeperbatter has proven his mettle several times becoming the first Indian to score successive T20I centuries in the recent series against South Africa being a case in pointPromising allrounder Nitish Reddy who scored his maiden Test century against Australia in December at Melbourne has also earned a spot in the squad giving the team another option pacebowling allrounder along with the redoubtable Hardik PandyaEnglands fresh startFor the Jos Buttlerled England the series marks a new chapter under head coach Brendon McCullum who signed a threeyear contract following Matthew Motts resignation following their T20 World Cup exitKnown for revolutionising Test cricket with his aggressive Bazball approach McCullum will now seek to replicate that success in the limitedovers formatIt would not be a new territory for the New Zealand great who was also at the helm of Kolkata Knight Riders after playing for the franchise in the inaugural IPLEngland will miss key players Reece Topley Sam Curran and Will Jacks but promising 21yearold Jacob Bethell who impressed in the ODI series against the West Indies last year will look to shineBethell has averaged 5766 and struck at 16796 in his seven T20I appearances Test opener Ben Duckett has been given the position in the shortest format for the first time in six yearsLike Shami Englands fiery pacer Jofra Archer will be under the spotlight as he returns from injury to lead their pace attack ahead of the Champions TrophyThe playing XI finalised for Wednesday also includes pace bowler Mark Wood who has recently recovered from a right elbow injuryBut conditions in India with the possibility of heavy evening dew could pose a challenge for bowlers After Wednesdays game the series would move to Chennai for the second T20I January 25 followed by matches Rajkot Jan 28 Pune Jan 31 and Mumbai February 2The ODI leg will start in Nagpur on February 6 followed by Cuttack February 9 and Ahmedabad February 12With agency inputs