Pathan backs Shami's delayed return; rues Siraj's absence in CT squad

Former pace bowling allrounder Irfan Pathan believes the Indian team think tank made the right decision by delaying Mohammed Shamis international return following a prolong injury layoff by not fielding him in the first T20I against EnglandShami was not included in Indias playing XI for the first T20I against England on Wednesday despite proving his fitness in practice sessions and domestic cricket for BengalAll eyes were on Shamis return after a 14month injury layoff but India opted for a threepronged spin attack instead a decision that paid off as they bowled out England for a meagre 132 before cruising to the target in 125 overs with seven wickets in handIrfan said Shami is experienced enough to take an honest assessment of his bodyWhen youve been such a seasoned campaigner and are among Indias top 10 bowlers you understand your bodys limits well said Irfan at a promotional eventShami always provides honest feedback to the team management and decisions are made through mutual communication Recovery at the highest level takes time especially after playing consistently I believe he and the team management will make the right call at the right timeHaving undergone surgery and rehab following an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup where he finished as Indias top wickettaker Shami had made an impressive return in domestic cricket representing Bengal across all three formatsShami has been chosen in Indias whiteball rubber squad against England consisting five T20Is and three ODIs which will act as a build up to the Champions Trophy next month where the teams pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrahs inclusion is subject to fitnessBumrah suffered a back niggle in the gruelling fivematch Test series in Australia and could not bowl in the second innings of the fifth Test in Sydney and in this context Shamis availability for the Champions Trophy is crucial to Indias prospectsIrfan also expressed concerns over the lack of a pacebowling backup in the Champions Trophybound squad suggesting that Mohammed Siraj could have been included given Bumrahs uncertain fitnessYou need a backup pacer Siraj could have been a good option In Dubai playing four spinners isnt viable With Bumrah and Shami returning from injuries it wont be easy for them straight away he observedA pacer like Siraj would have filled that gap That said we hope the selectors choices perform well and we should back them he addedIrfan also addressed the poor form of senior batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli during Indias 13 series defeat in the BorderGavaskar Trophy Indias first series loss in a decadeHe advised fans not to conflate the celebrated duos Test struggles with their prospects in whiteball cricketTheyll start scoring runs in whiteball cricket theres no doubt about that Irfan saidTest cricket is a different ball game altogether Adjustments are needed whether its Virat managing deliveries outside the offstump or Rohit finding his rhythm ODI is their favourite format and theyll bounce back stronglyRecalling Indias resilience during the 200304 Australia tour Irfan further shared a motivational anecdoteBack then Dean Jones visited our dressing room and mentioned how outsiders thought our team environment was broken But we showed unity on the field and drew the series 11 Indian cricket is always above individual concerns he assertedIrfan also stressed the importance of domestic cricket urging players to participate regularlyIts about playing domestic cricket but do not play a couple of matches just for the sake of it and show that youve playedPlaying regularly benefits both players and Indian cricket For young players competing against the likes of Kohli or Rohit at the domestic level can be a tremendous confidence boost as they would also raise their levels to bowl to them Ultimately Indian cricket gains from this he addedWith agency inputs