Mohammed Shami named in Bengal’s squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 amidst fitness concerns

India’s premier pacer Mohammed Shami has been included in Bengal’s squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25, led by Sudip Kumar Gharami. Bengal announced their squad on December 14, featuring star bowlers Shami and Mukesh Kumar, ahead of their opening clash against Delhi at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on December 21.

Shami’s inclusion comes amidst lingering fitness issues, as Indian skipper Rohit Sharma confirmed that swelling in Shami’s knee prevented him from traveling to Australia for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The pacer is under observation by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) medical team.

Bengal is placed in Group E of the Vijay Hazare Trophy alongside Kerala, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, Baroda, and Bihar. Their campaign follows their recent exit from the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, where they were knocked out at the quarter-final stage by Baroda.

Shami, who had been recovering post-ankle surgery, made his competitive cricket return last month. His most recent appearance for Bengal was in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 against Madhya Pradesh, where he impressed with seven wickets in a winning cause.

In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2024, Shami played nine matches, taking 11 wickets. His standout performance came against Hyderabad, with figures of 3/21, although he remained wicketless in three outings.

Despite his absence in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Shami boasts a solid Test record on Australian soil. In eight Tests, he has taken 31 wickets at an average of 32.16, including two five-wicket hauls. Shami’s performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy will be closely monitored as he works towards regaining full fitness. His inclusion adds significant strength to Bengal’s pace attack, and fans will be eager to see how he fares in domestic cricket amidst his ongoing recovery.

Bengal’s Squad for Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25

• Sudip Kumar Gharami (C), Mohammad Shami, Anustup Majumdar, Abhishek Porel (wk), Sudip Chatterjee, Karan Lal, Shakir Habib Gandhi (wk), Sumanta Gupta, Subham Chatterjee, Ranjot Singh Khaira, Pradipta Pramanik, Kaushik Maity, Vikas Singh (Sr), Mukesh Kumar, Saksham Chaudhary, Rohit Kumar, Md Kaif, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Sayan Ghosh, Kanishk Seth