India to take a call on future of two senior players

Former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey has shed light on the future of veteran cricketers Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin. Notably, India’s star cricketer Mohammed Shami has returned to the nets as he looks to get back to competitive cricket after missing the 2023 ODI World Cup. The fast bowler excelled with an outstanding performance in the showpiece event, marking the first bowler to pick up 50 wickets in the tournament’s history. The 33-year-old cricketer hasn’t been able to take part in any fixtures, whether the Indian Premier League or international games, since the ODI World Cup 2023. The fast bowler was being closely monitored by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after suffering an injury to his right knee.

According to sources, the Uttar Pradesh-born cricketer will be expected to be available for both the away series against Australia and Bangladesh. It remains to be seen, though, whether newly hired Head Coach Gautam Gambhir is willing to give younger players a chance or keep counting on the abilities of the veteran pacer. Players such as Arshdeep Singh showed outstanding potential in the T20 international format; however, the Indian team might also think about giving him a chance in the ODIs and Test cricket. On the other hand, Ravichandran Ashwin seems great in the ongoing TNPL 2024 and will make his return to Test series against Bangladesh and Australia.

Also Read: Mohammed Shami all set for a return to Team India as he starts bowling in the nets

It’s important to have those discussions with Shami and Ashwin about their future plans: Paras Mhambrey

In the same vein, former India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey feels that the team needs to discuss its future plans with Ravichandran Ashwin and Mohammed Shami. The 52-year-old cricketer said that youngsters should get the chance to play the games with some experienced players to learn more about the game. Furthermore, the former India pacer feels that the newcomers should bowl alongside senior bowlers to avoid pressure situations in the matches. Meanwhile, with the Champions Trophy 2025 and WTC Final 2025 in focus next, Ashwin and Shami might be the key to Gambhir’s plan.

Also Read: Rinku Singh’s speech after bagging the best fielder award for Zimbabwe series leaves teammates in splits

“It’s important to have those discussions with Shami and Ashwin about their future plans and then lay out a plan. When we decided to invest in youth, we made sure they were not alone in the park shouldering all responsibilities. Be it Arshdeep or Avesh, we made sure they were always bowling alongside senior bowlers,” Paras Mhambrey said.

Also Read: No rest! Gautam Gambhir wants Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah to play ODI series vs Sri Lanka

For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Telegram and YouTube