Shami’s return provides a significant boost to Team India in Bumrah’s absence at the Champions Trophy

The formula proved to be so successful that Shami's absence initially went unnoticed until Pandya's injury forced him out of the tournament. Shami went on to claim the title of highest wicket-taker with an impressive 24 scalps. This outcome was hardly surprising, as India had already recognized after the 2015 World Cup that Shami was not suitable for year-round cricket. Similar considerations were made for Bumrah's career, even before his rise to the international stage. Instead of facing the dilemma of not having both Bumrah and Shami available for a crucial tournament, India proactively managed their workloads to ensure at least one of them was always ready to take the field.

Which is something you could guess from the way the career curves of Bumrah and Shami are entwined around ICC events. Bumrah missed the 2022 T20 World Cup, Shami missed the T20 World Cup in 2016 and 2024, apart from the 2017 Champions Trophy. But both featured in the 2019 and 2023 ODI World Cups. So, while there’s no evidence to proclaim that Bumrah and Shami together would have been a winning tango, there’s also little doubt that not having Bumrah could be a body blow.

Forgoing a win percentage of 60 every time Bumrah has bowled for India in ODIs in the last five years can be a heavy punt. An average of 18 runs per wicket in those wins, backed by a strike rate of 27.3 balls, underpins Bumrah’s genius. And since this is white-ball cricket, nothing really can compensate for that yorker or those back-of-a-length slower balls which so effectively lures batters into early shots.

Not all is lost though, especially when you look up Shami’s numbers. Unbelievable as it may sound, they are better than Bumrah in India’s ODI wins since 2020. An average of 15.44 and a phenomenal strike rate of 17.1 aggregated in 19 wins — 18 of which came in India — appropriately reflects what Shami does well on abrasive subcontinent surfaces. The primary reason for Shami’s unparalleled success is the natural back of length that batters can neither attack nor defend, creating a fourth-stump boobytrap that eventually sets up comprehensive dismissals.

Also the upright seam position, which Wasim Akram effusively praised during the 2023 World Cup. “Shami’s ball hits the deck on the straight seam. He does not bowl with a wobbly seam. His seam kisses the pitch. He does not bang it in,” Akram had explained. “From back of length he gets the ball to go in and away. He doesn’t swing the ball as much as Bumrah, but he gets it to seam.” Consistent pace in the 140kph range is the key here, as is the ability to resort to a shorter length in case Shami finds consistent bounce in the pitch. Which is why so few batters go on the front foot to him even in the middle overs.

Still some time away, the Champions Trophy is no World Cup. The league stage isn’t winding, the travel isn’t as tiring, but the shorter duration also effectively rules out anyone who can’t pass the final squad selection fitness test. Bumrah anyway has stretched himself in Australia. And with India scheduled to tour England in the summer, there is very little chance of Bumrah making the Champions Trophy cut and thereby risking seven months of non-stop cricket (IPL begins barely a week after the Champions Trophy).

Which could make India’s case look a little precarious given that Shami hasn’t played international cricket since November 19, 2023. He has played some cricket for Bengal, but that can never be expected to rig him entirely for the grind of a Champions Trophy. Hence the staggered comeback, the first stage of which should see him bowl in the home T20I series against England. Shami has never featured in ODIs in the UAE but bowlers of his kind know what lengths to bowl on which pitch. All he needs is a little real time conditioning, and a timely one considering the circumstances.

Stay informed with the latest updates on live cricket score, cricket players, match schedules and ICC rankings. Keep an eye on your favourite cricket team, including the stellar performances of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Check out the cricket schedule, WTC 2025 Points Table track team standings and dive into player stats and rankings on Crickit powered by Hindustan Times website and app. .freemium-card h4{color:#fff; padding-bottom:20px;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{padding-bottom:16px; color:#fff;} .freemium-card .freemium-content{width: auto; max-width: inherit;} .freemium-card .freemium-content .subcTxt{max-width:inherit; font-size:18px; padding-top:0; line-height:24px} .freemium-card .btnSubc{margin} .freemium-card .btnSubc a{background:#000; color:#fff; min-width:auto; padding:5px 15px; border-radius:6px; font-size:16px; line-height:22px; font-weight:700;} .freemium-card{height:285px} @media (max-width: 767px) { .freemium-card h4{font-size:28px} .freemium-card .freemium-content{max-width:360px; padding: 20px;} .freemium-card{height:303px; background-position: 100% 0; } }