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New Delhi: In absence of premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah, Team India has been lacking firepower in the pace department which was recently proved right in the Raipur ODI. Despite putting up a mammoth score on the board, Indian bowlers failed to defend that going down in the game cheaply.
With Mohammed Shami being ignored from the squad for a long time despite regaining fitness and proving his worth in the domestic games, the seasoned fast bowler has been overlooked by the selection committee. Some former Indian players which included spinner Harbhajan Singh have questioned the Indian team management for ignoring the veteran pacer.
Shami last played for the Indian national side during the victorious Champions Trophy campaign and has been consistent in the domestic circuit picking up nine wickets in five Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches, including a four-wicket haul in his last outing.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, former spin great Harbhajan slammed the team management for Shami's omission, adding that the management is constantly ignoring good bowlers.
'Where is Shami? I don't know why Shami is not playing. I get it, you have Prasidh, he is a good bowler, but he still has a lot to learn. You had good bowlers, and you have slowly sidelined them. With Bumrah, this is a different bowling attack, and without Bumrah, it is an entirely different attack altogether. We have to learn the art of winning games without Jasprit Bumrah,' said Harbhajan.
The 45-year-old player also feels that Team India does not have enough match winners in the white-ball cricket, calling it a huge area of concern. Giving the reference of the England series, he said that despite the absence of Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj was unbelievable and proved to be a match-winner. India won all the Test matches which did not feature Bumrah but they did not feel the absence as Siraj filled in.
Speaking on the shorter formats, he said that the team management needs to find good people who can win matches, whether it is fast bowling or spin. It is imperative to find bowlers who can come and take wickets. Harbhajan also said that the Indian management should bring back Varun Chakaravarthy into the ODI setup, as they already have him in the T20Is.
The third and final ODI of the series will be played in Vizag on Saturday.
