Asia Cup 2023: India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey explains reason behind Mohammed Shami's exclusion from playing XI

Mohammed Shami was part of India's playing XI against Nepal in the Asia Cup 2023 when Jasprit Bumrah missed the match.

Team India are going with Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur along with Jasprit Bumrah in the bowling lineup. With the Indian team opting for these three pacers in the playing XI in the ongoing Asia Cup 2023, they have left out probably one of their top-performing pace bowlers Mohammed Shami out of the playing XI. Shami was unfit against Pakistan when India opened their campaign in the tournament. From there Siraj has been preferred as the first-choice pacer along with Bumrah and Shardul in the lineup. Now, Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has opened up about Team India’s strategy in pace bowling.

Paras Mhambrey explains the reason

Talking about Mohammed Shami’s selection in the playing XI, Paras Mhambrey said, “It is not very easy to drop someone like Mohammed Shami. The experience that he has and the performance that he has done for the country is phenomenal. It is never easy to have that kind of conversation (Dropped for Playing XI). But we are clear in the way we have gone about the conversation with the players and they have shown confidence in us. They know any decision we take and they know that it is for the benefit of the team.” Shami played just one game in the tournament in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. 

Indian bowling coach Paras Mhambrey said that with the kind of options Team India have in the bowling lineup, It’s good to have a problem of plenty. Mhambrey said, “We have been following Bumrah’s progress from the NCA, and we are very happy with the report that we have got. Now, we have four quality bowlers, and it is always great to have those options. The problem of plenty is always good.” With Hardik Pandya bowling almost the full quota of his overs, Team India can afford to go with all three spinners as well in the playing XI. 

They did try playing with all the three spin options available in the squad against Sri Lanka in the Super 4 over the game. Shami played against Nepal in the final league game when Jasprit Bumrah went back to India to be with his wife Sanjana Ganeshan during the birth of his son Angad. India will be taking on Bangladesh on Friday before playing in the Asia Cup 2023 final on 17 September. With wickets turning square, Team India might keep Bumrah and Siraj in pace bowling along with Hardik Padya as 3rd pacer option available.