In a major boost for Indian cricket, star pacer Mohammed Shami has made his long-awaited return to competitive action, nearly a year after his last appearance. Shami is currently representing Bengal in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh.
In his first outing, Shami has been seen bowling with full intensity, showing signs of being in peak form. A recent viral video captured him troubling the Madhya Pradesh batters with his swinging deliveries and sharp bouncers, further highlighting his readiness for a high-level return.
After finishing as India’s leading wicket-taker in last year’s World Cup, Shami was sidelined due to an ankle injury that required surgery. He opened the bowling for Bengal on Day 1 of the match, taking the field right after Bengal was dismissed for 228 in 51.2 overs.
Though he didn’t pick up a wicket in his 10 overs on the opening day, Shami displayed glimpses of his classic skill, generating seam movement and maintaining a testing line around the stumps. He beat the bat on several occasions, but the wickets eluded him.
However, Shami’s persistence paid off on Day 2, when he claimed four wickets, marking a strong comeback and reinforcing his place among the premier fast bowlers in Indian cricket.
Excellent comeback 💥@MdShami11 bowled an impressive spell of 4/54 on his comeback, playing for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in the #RanjiTrophy match in Indore 👌👌
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) November 14, 2024
Watch 📽️ highlights of his spell in the first innings 🔽@IDFCFIRSTBank
Scorecard: https://t.co/54IeDz9fWu pic.twitter.com/sxKktrQJbL
While Shami has not been named in the 18-member squad for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy as a precautionary measure, multiple reports indicate that he could join the squad later in the series, with time likely to tell whether this speculation proves accurate.