Kolkata, January 22: Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Snehasish Ganguly has expressed his enthusiasm for Mohammed Shami's return to the field. Shami, who has made a remarkable comeback after a year, is set to play in front of an eager Kolkata crowd.
The Indian cricket team will host England in a five-match T20 series starting on January 22 in Kolkata.
Speaking about Shami's resurgence, Ganguly highlighted the pacer's recent performances for Bengal, where he played six to seven matches and displayed excellent form.
"The most important thing is the whole Kolkata crowd will be watching Mohammed Shami," Ganguly told ANI.
"He came back after a year and bowled very well for Bengal. I was observing his bowling, and he seems to be in great shape. He looks like the old Mohammed Shami--fit and raring to go," Ganguly added.
With Shami looking sharp and match-ready, Ganguly expressed confidence in the pacer's ability to make a significant impact.
"Overall, it will be a very good match," he noted, emphasizing the excitement surrounding Shami's return to Eden Gardens.
Shami's return has generated tremendous anticipation, and fans in Kolkata will undoubtedly be eager to witness the star pacer back in action, leading Bengal's bowling attack with his trademark intensity.
With Jasprit Bumrah out of the squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series, Shami is expected to lead the Men in Blue attack.
Last year, Shami returned to domestic cricket with Bengal after undergoing an ankle surgery that kept him sidelined for nearly a year. Shami had also been a part of Bengal's squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Shami had made an impressive comeback to competitive cricket, having last featured in the ODI World Cup 2023 final. Following ankle surgery and overcoming a series of setbacks, he returned to action for Bengal in a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh in November.
Earlier on January 11, Shami was added to the India squad for the upcoming T20I series against England.
India's squad for the T20I series against England: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Sanju Samson (WK), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel (VC), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (WK).
