Ganguly's Suggestion to Make India's Pace Attack Stronger
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly recommended that current head coach Gautam Gambhir bring pacer Mohammed Shami back into the Test squad. Ganguly said Gambhir should continue to trust the pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Shami.
India lost the first Test against South Africa at Eden Gardens by 30 runs as they failed to chase down a target of 124 runs and were bowled out.
Ganguly on Team Selection and Conditions
- Ganguly complimented Gambhir for his efforts during the 2011 World Cup and T20 World Cup campaigns of India. He is confident that Gambhir will be the head coach for many years to come. Ganguly then went on to suggest that Gambhir should ensure that the matches in India are played on better pitches.
- He added that Bumrah, Siraj, and Shami can win together, which is possible when spinners come in as support. Ganguly feels that India needs wickets that can offer balanced conditions. The batting line-up cannot score consistently 350-400 runs unless India wins Test matches, he added.
- Ganguly mentioned that Indian batters did a good job during their England tour and helped the team win two matches. He called for Gambhir to be confident in his players and work toward creating competitive five-day matches rather than matches that get finished in three days.
- The second Test between India and South Africa will start in Guwahati on November 22.
Recent Absence and Current Form of Shami
The last time Mohammed Shami played a Test match was in 2023, after which he was not picked for the England tour, West Indies series, and series against South Africa. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said Shami was left out due to fitness issues.
However, Shami has bowled decently in the Ranji Trophy season this time around. He has bowled 115 overs across four matches and picked up 17 wickets, showing promising form ahead of probable national selection.
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