'Plans gone a little awry': Ex-opener questions selection of Mohammad Shami and Umesh Yadav so close to T20 WC

After Mohammad Shami was ruled out of the series against Australia, Umesh Yadav was named as his replacement. Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra feels that selecting the two fast bowlers who weren't even part of the T20I plans just a few weeks before the World Cup is not a wise decision.
Shami Umesh

Umesh Yadav replaced Mohammad Shami in the series vs Australia

Photo : IANS
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Mohammad Shami was selected for the T20I series against Australia and South Africa.
  • He was ruled out of the series after testing positive for COVID-19.
  • Umesh Yadav was named as his replacement.
Before India head to Australia to begin their journey in the T20 World Cup in October, they take on the Aussies in a three-match T20I series at home. India return with a full strength squad after the Asia Cup, especially with the rreturn of Jasprit Bumrah and Harshal Patel from injury.
However, after being ignored for the past year in the shortest format of the game since the match vs Namibia in the 2021 T20 World Cup, veteran fast bowler Mohammad Shami was called up for the series against Australia and South Africa. In fact, he is also among the four standby players to travel with the team for the T20 World Cup.
However, as fate would have it, Shami tested positive for COVID-19 and was ruled out for the series vs Australia. As his replacement, veteran speedster Umesh Yadav found his place in the squad in what was a return to T20Is after three years.
However, former Indian opener Aakash Chopra feels that selecting the two fast bowlers who weren't even part of the T20I plans just a few weeks before the World Cup is not a wise decision.
"Since the last World Cup, India has played loads of T20i games but Md. Shami and Umesh Yadav didn’t feature in any one of themand with just four weeks to the World Cup, both have become a part of the plans. Plans gone a little awry?" he questioned on Twitter.
Check out the tweet right here:
However, in the pre-match press conference India skipper Rohit Sharma said that players like Shami and Umesh do not need to play for a long period of time in order to come and play for India. "Guys like Umesh, Shami, who have been bowling for a long time. They do not need to be playing a format to be considered," he said.
"They have proven themselves as players in whichever format they have played. We understand the quality, it is the new guys on whom it will depend whether they have played this format or not. But guys like Umesh and Shami, if they are fit and fine, they will be called back," he added.
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