Mohammed Shami’s much-anticipated return to competitive cricket will take center stage in the Vijay Hazare Trophy quarterfinals, where his performance will be closely scrutinized. After a lengthy injury layoff, Shami is aiming to regain full match fitness and reclaim his spot in the Indian cricket team. With uncertainty surrounding Jasprit Bumrah’s availability due to a persistent back injury, the spotlight is on Shami to fill the void as India prepares for the Champions Trophy starting on February 19.

Shami is set to lead Bengal’s bowling attack in their quarterfinal clash against Haryana at Vadodara’s Moti Bagh Stadium on Thursday. Simultaneously, Rajasthan will face Tamil Nadu in another quarterfinal at the Kotambi Stadium. Shami’s performance in this pivotal domestic fixture could determine his chances of being selected for India’s upcoming international assignments.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and the Indian management are hoping Shami’s recovery progresses smoothly. If he demonstrates his readiness and receives clearance from the BCCI medical team, the pacer might even find a place in the white-ball series against England, scheduled later this month. India will host England for three ODIs from February 6–12 and five Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) from January 22–February 2.

Shami has been diligently preparing for his comeback, as evidenced by a recent video he shared on social media, where he was seen bowling with intensity and precision in the nets. The caption accompanying the post—”Precision, Pace, and Passion, All Set to Take on the World!”—showcased his enthusiasm and determination to return stronger.

The seasoned right-arm pacer has been absent from international cricket since sustaining an injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he emerged as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. Although he made an attempt to return to domestic cricket last year, recurring swelling delayed his recovery and ruled him out of the latter stages of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, which India lost 1-3.

India’s bowling assault may depend heavily on Shami’s effective return as the Champions Trophy is near.