Cricket

Mohammed Shami, India's premier fast bowler, is set to make his return to domestic cricket with Bengal in the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The announcement comes as a welcome boost for Team India, which is preparing for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia with a relatively inexperienced pace attack.Shami's return to domestic cricket marks an important step in his comeback journey. The 32-year-old has been sidelined with injuries for much of the past year, but he has shown signs of regaining his form in recent matches. In Bengal's Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh, Shami took seven wickets and scored 36 runs, demonstrating his all-round abilities.Shami's form is a positive sign for Team India, which is heading to Australia with a pace attack that lacks experience at the highest level. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj are the only two bowlers in the squad with significant Test experience, while the likes of Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, and Akash Deep are yet to establish themselves at the international level.Shami's experience would be invaluable in Australia, where he has a proven track record. In eight Tests down under, he has taken 31 wickets at an average of 32.16, including best figures of 6/56. His ability to swing the ball both ways and generate pace would be a major asset for India in the challenging conditions in Australia.If included in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Shami will be looking to reclaim his spot in the Indian team ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy and the Indian Premier League in 2025. His return to domestic cricket is a significant step towards achieving that goal.

Mohammed Shami's remarkable return to competitive cricket in the Ranji Trophy has earned him high praise from Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla. After a year-long absence due to an ankle injury, Shami made a stunning comeback on Thursday, showcasing his exceptional bowling skills against Madhya Pradesh.In his first appearance since last year's ODI World Cup, Shami bowled with precision and pace, capturing 4 wickets for 54 runs in 19 overs. His impressive performance put Bengal in a commanding position at the Holkar Stadium.Shukla was particularly impressed by Shami's ability to return to form after such a long layoff. "Someone has come back after one year and has bowled 19 overs and taken so many wickets... what's there to say?" Shukla said. "He came into the match without doing any match simulation. Can you imagine? But obviously, if he plays more, he will get better."Shami started economically, conceding only 34 runs in his first 10 overs. However, he grew in confidence as the innings progressed, rattling the Madhya Pradesh batting order with his mesmerizing pace. He dismissed key batsmen, including skipper Shubham Sharma, Saransh Jain, Kumar Kartikeya, and Kulwant Khejroliya."He bowled one six-over spell and one five-over spell," Shukla added. "Players who bowl in the IPL don't even know how to bowl more than four overs. He bowled the sort of spells fast bowlers are expected to. I have never seen a fast bowler come back so strongly after one year away. What he did today is like a fairy tale."Shami's performance has reignited hopes that he could be available for India's upcoming Test series against Australia. The seasoned speedster missed out on a call for the Border Gavaskar Trophy but has started to make a case for his inclusion if needed.

Bengal's Shami Shines with Bat and Ball in Thrilling Ranji Trophy FinishKOLKATA: The Bengal and Madhya Pradesh Elite Group 'C' Ranji Trophy match is poised for a nail-biting conclusion, with the hosts Bengal chasing 338 for victory and currently sitting at 150 for three at stumps on the penultimate day.Mohammed Shami, the star Bengal pacer, played a crucial role in both innings of the match. In the first innings, he picked up three wickets to restrict Madhya Pradesh to 276. In the second innings, Shami came to the crease with Bengal struggling at 219/8.Undeterred, Shami showcased his batting prowess, stitching together a valuable 39-run last-wicket stand with his brother Mohammed Kaif. Shami's aggressive approach, including two fours and two sixes, propelled Bengal's second innings total to 276.Shami's batting heroics were followed by an impressive bowling performance. He returned to bowl 11 overs in the next two sessions of play, demonstrating his resilience and determination.Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla praised Shami's all-round contribution. "It was great to see how Shami took up the challenge," Shukla said. "He showed his character and fighting spirit."With Bengal needing 188 runs to win on the final day, the match is set for a thrilling finish. Shami's performance with both bat and ball has given Bengal a glimmer of hope, and his presence on the field will be crucial in determining the outcome of the match.

Opener Subhransu Senapati's gritty half-century kept Madhya Pradesh in the hunt for an outright win over Bengal in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.Resuming at 170 for five, Bengal made 276 in its second innings, setting Madhya Pradesh a target of 338. The contest is evenly poised as the host, at 150 for three on day three, needs 188 runs while Bengal requires seven wickets to record victory on the final day.Overnight batters Writtick Chatterjee (52, 106b, 6x4) and Wriddhiman Saha (44, 115b, 3x4) concentrated hard for a 67-run stand. Writtick pulled Kumar Kartikeya to deep-square leg shortly after completing his half-century.A patient Saha mostly scored in singles before being given out, caught at first slip off Kartikeya while trying a scoop, and walked back disappointed.Riding his luck, Mohammed Shami (37, 36b, 2x4 2x6) swung his bat to add 39 runs with his brother Kaif for the final wicket before becoming Kartikeya's fourth victim. His cameo helped Bengal set a challenging target.With the track becoming docile and some deliveries keeping low, Bengal bowlers had to work hard. The right-left opening combination of Senapati (50, 110b, 6x4) and Himanshu Mantri (44, 77b, 4x4) gave Madhya Pradesh a fine start.Senapati, who survived two lbw appeals and got a 'life' on 14, played fluent drives on either side, while Mantri mostly rotated the strike and occasionally found a boundary.Shami, bowling 11 overs in four spells at a good speed, tried different lengths and leaked runs. Rohit Kumar provided the breakthrough as Mantri's leading edge went to deep fine-leg.Senapati added 41 runs with Rajat Patidar (32, 41b, 4x4) before being bowled by Shahbaz. Shami removed night watchman Anubhav Agarwal cheaply, but captain Shubham Sharma and Patidar, who executed sweetly-timed shots, prevented further damage.

Mohammed Shami, the star Indian pacer, has made a remarkable comeback in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match against Madhya Pradesh. His exceptional bowling performance has reignited Bengal's hopes in the contest.Shami's mastery of seam bowling was evident as he claimed four crucial wickets in MP's first innings. His pace, accuracy, and ability to extract movement from the pitch proved too much for the MP batters. He finished with impressive figures of 4/54 in 19 overs, with an economical rate of 2.80.Among his victims were MP captain Shubham Sharma and lower-order batters Saransh Jain and Kumar Kartikeya. Shami's wickets played a pivotal role in restricting MP to a manageable 167, giving Bengal a lead of 61 runs at lunch on Day 2.Shami's return has energized Bengal's bowling attack, which had struggled in their own batting innings, being bowled out for 228 on Day 1. His presence has provided a much-needed boost to the team's morale.However, Shami's availability for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in Australia remains uncertain. He was initially left out of the squad due to fitness concerns. Captain Rohit Sharma had emphasized that they did not want to risk an "undercooked Shami" on the challenging Australian pitches.Despite his absence from the BGT squad, Shami's performance in the Ranji Trophy could potentially earn him a call-up. Cricket legends like Ricky Ponting believe that Shami's pace and bounce would be invaluable on the fast tracks in Australia.If Shami proves his form and fitness in this Ranji game, he could address what many see as a minor gap in India's pace arsenal. His experience and skill could strengthen the team's chances in the high-stakes series against Australia, which begins on November 22 in Perth.

Mohammed Shami's much-anticipated return to competitive cricket after a year-long absence was met with challenges as Bengal faced Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group-C match at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.On a greenish pitch with moisture, Madhya Pradesh elected to field and capitalized on the conditions. Aryan Pandey and Kulwant Khejroliya's four-wicket hauls restricted Bengal to a modest 228 in the first innings.Bengal's batting woes began early as Shuvam Dey was dismissed cheaply. Khejroliya then wreaked havoc, removing Sudip Gharami, Rohit Kumar, and Sudip Chatterjee in quick succession. Shahbaz Ahmed (92) and Anustup Majumdar (44) steadied the ship with a 96-run partnership, but Khejroliya broke the stand to dismiss Majumdar.Shahbaz played a rash shot and narrowly missed a century. In reply, Madhya Pradesh openers Subhransu Senapati (44*) and Rajat Patidar (41*) provided a solid start, taking their team to 103 for one at stumps.Shami, who underwent Achilles tendon surgery in February, bowled with good control but lacked rhythm. He finished with figures of 0-16 and 0-18 in his two spells.Bengal coach L.R. Shukla acknowledged the challenges Shami faced, saying, "It's never easy to come back from a surgery and bowl after a year. The more Shami plays, the better he will become."

Indian pacer Mohammed Shami is poised to make his long-awaited return to competitive cricket after an extended absence of nearly a year. The Bengal stalwart will don the blue and gold jersey in their Ranji Trophy encounter against Madhya Pradesh, commencing on Wednesday. This development marks a significant milestone in Shami's rehabilitation journey, as he received the green light from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to resume playing.Shami's return has been eagerly anticipated, with expectations of his participation in the Ranji Trophy. However, a delayed fitness certificate from the NCA due to reported injury concerns hindered his earlier involvement. Now, with the NCA's clearance, Shami is set to spearhead Bengal's pace attack against Madhya Pradesh.This comeback holds immense significance for both Bengal and India. Bengal will be bolstered by Shami's presence, especially with pacers Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar currently representing India in Australia, and Ishan Porel recovering from an injury. Shami's experience and skill will provide a much-needed boost to Bengal's bowling unit.For India, Shami's return to fitness ahead of the crucial Australian tour is a major development. His form and fitness will be closely monitored as he prepares for the upcoming challenges. Shami's last competitive appearance was in the 2023 World Cup final on November 19th, after which he embarked on an injury rehabilitation program.Shami's inclusion in the Bengal team is not only a boost to their performance but also a morale booster for the entire squad. Bengal currently sits in fifth place in the points table with 8 points from 4 games, having secured three crucial points in their last match against Karnataka. The team aims to qualify for the next round of the Ranji Trophy, and Shami's presence will undoubtedly enhance their chances.

Bengal and Karnataka played out a tame draw in their Elite-C Ranji Trophy encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Bengal, resuming on 127 for three, opted for a cautious approach, batting beyond lunch to set Karnataka an improbable target of 364.Sudip Kumar, who had scored a century in the first innings, remained unbeaten on 101, while Wriddhiman Saha contributed a solid 63 not out. Bengal declared their second innings on 283 for five, leaving Karnataka with less than two sessions to bat.Karnataka's chase got off to a shaky start as they lost openers Mayank Agarwal and Kishan Bedare cheaply. However, R. Smaran (35 not out), Shreyas Gopal (32), and Manish Pandey (30 not out) steadied the ship, guiding the home team to safety.Bengal's bowlers, led by Ishan Porel and Akash Deep, kept the pressure on Karnataka's batsmen, but the visitors were unable to force a breakthrough. The match ended in a draw, with Karnataka earning three points and Bengal taking home one point.Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary expressed satisfaction with the result, saying, "We wanted to bat for as long as possible and put pressure on Karnataka. We knew they had some quality bowlers, but we were confident in our batting lineup."Karnataka captain Mayank Agarwal admitted that his team had been affected by "a few soft dismissals" and that the batters were keen to take corrective action. He also highlighted the absence of regulars like K.L. Rahul, V. Vyshak, and Devdutt Padikkal, who are away on international duty."We want our players to play a higher grade of cricket. We want to keep fighting and find ways to win games for Karnataka. If we get a win in the next game, then suddenly things look different," Agarwal said.

Bengal tightened its grip on its Elite 'C' Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka on Friday, moving into a strong position on the penultimate day.Bengal's fast bowler Ishan Porel spearheaded the morning session, claiming three quick wickets to dismiss Karnataka for 221. With an 80-run first-innings lead, Bengal adopted a cautious approach in its second innings, reaching 127 for three. The visitor now holds an overall advantage of 207 runs, putting it in a favorable position to secure a victory on Saturday.Resuming on 155 for five, Karnataka relied on overnight batters Abhinav Manohar and Shreyas Gopal to build a substantial partnership. However, their hopes were dashed when Porel dismissed Shreyas (28) caught behind in the fourth over of the day.Shortly after, Karnataka suffered a major setback when Manohar was caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. The umpire upheld the appeal for an inside edge, despite Manohar's protestations. Young Hardik Raj (11) was also sent back after attempting a tight single, with substitute Pradipta Pramanik throwing down the stumps.Vidyadhar Patil (33) and V. Koushik (11) provided some resistance, putting on 40 runs for the ninth wicket. Patil showcased his batting prowess, striking the ball cleanly and powerfully when deliveries were in his arc.Karnataka's hopes of closing the gap with Bengal's total evaporated when fast bowler Suraj Sindhu uprooted Vidyadhar's stumps.Bengal's openers, Shuvam Dey (30) and Sudip Chatterjee (48), blunted the new ball threat with grit and patience. By the time the duo was dismissed - both to thick edges - Karnataka had lost ground.In the evening session, a Vidyadhar peach stunned first-innings centurion Anustup Majumdar. The Bengal skipper pressed forward to defend, but Vidyadhar snuck the ball between bat and pad to flatten the middle stump.