Men in Blue were the first to qualify for the 2023 Asia Cup final earlier this week, defeating Pakistan and Sri Lanka on consecutive days in Colombo. Team India’s bowling effort was superb in both matches, as the team restricted the opponents to 128 (against Pakistan) and 172 (against Sri Lanka) respectively. India will lock horns with Sri Lanka in the summit clash on September 17, Sunday.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj remained India’s first-choice pacers in the Aisa Cup tournament. Shami’s absence from the playing XI raised many eyebrows, as he had been one of the side’s first-choice pacers for many years across formats. Paras Mhambrey, India’s bowling coach, indicated that the decision to omit Mohammed Shami from the playing XI was made in the team’s best interest.

Shami took one wicket while conceding 29 runs in his last appearance against Nepal. 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, Mhambrey said.

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, Mhambrey added. India will take on Bangladesh in its last Super 4 stage match today (September 15) at R. Premadasa Stadium.