Shami Returns After 14 Months as BCCI announces squad for England T20I series
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squad for the highly-anticipated five-match T20I series against England, starting January 22, 2025. The series marks the return of star bowler Mohammed Shami to international T20 cricket after a 14-month hiatus.
Shami, 34, last played in a T20I during the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 and is returning to gain match fitness ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy in February. Alongside Shami, the selectors have made notable adjustments to the squad, including the inclusion of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana.
Axar Patel has been named vice-captain, while Suryakumar Yadav will lead the team. Wicketkeeping duties will be shared between Sanju Samson and Dhruv Jurel. Spin all-rounder Washington Sundar joins Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi in the spin attack, while pacers Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh will partner Shami in the pace lineup.
The squad has retained the core from the recent South Africa series but dropped Vijaykumar Vyshak, Avesh Khan, and Yash Dayal. Kuldeep Yadav has also been left out of the T20 setup.
India T20I Squad Against England
Captain: Suryakumar Yadav
Vice-Captain: Axar Patel
Players: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Dhruv Jurel (wk).
India vs England T20I Schedule
- 22 January: First T20I – Eden Gardens, Kolkata
- 25 January: Second T20I – Chennai
- 28 January: Third T20I – Rajkot
- 31 January: Fourth T20I – Pune
- 2 February: Fifth T20I – Wankhede, Mumbai
With this revamped squad, India aims to fine-tune their preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and build momentum against England. Fans eagerly anticipate the series as the team looks to deliver strong performances.
