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[Saba Sports News] India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey shed light on the team management’s decision to drop Mohammad Shami.
On the eve of India’s upcoming Asia Cup 2023 fixture against Bangladesh, Mhambrey stated that keep Shami out of the playing XI was not an easy decision to make, but they had to do this to strike a perfect team combination.
India do not have many multi-faceted players in their squad. To compensate for this, they have fitted in Shardul Thakur or Axar Patel, who provides batting depth, by dropping a third genuine pace-bowling option in Shami.
“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,” Mhambrey said as quoted by India Today.
“It’s not very easy to drop someone like Shami. The experience that he has and the performance that he has done for the country is phenomenal. It’s never easy to have that kind of a conversation (dropping a player),” he opined.
Adding further, Mhambrey shared that players have been given clarity on where they stand in the team’s scheme of things.
“But we are clear in the way we have gone about the conversation with the players and they have shown confidence in us. Players know any decision that we take and they know that it is for the benefit of the team.”
Shami has been one of India’s biggest match-winner in the ODIs. In 91 one-dayers, he has taken 163 wickets at an average and strike-rate of 26.01 and 27.90 respectively.
As India have already qualified for the final of the Asia Cup 2023, they might rest a few players against Bangladesh. This can create a chance for Shami to come back in the XI.