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Star India pacer Mohammed Shami has made a sensational comeback to competitive cricket. The right-arm pacer, who missed the action for around a year due to injury, played for Bengal in their recently-concluded Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh. Shami bowled 43.2 overs in the game and took seven wickets besides scoring a quickfire 36. Bengal went on to win the game by 11 runs. A fresh media report has claimed that Shami is set to be fast-tracked into India's Test squad.
A report in Dainik Bhaskar claimed that Shami is all set to be included in the India squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting November 22 in Perth. It added that Shami could fly to Australia with captain Rohit Sharma and both of them could join the team ahead of the first game. However, the report claimed that Shami's inclusion in the playing XI will be taken only after the match in Perth.
Shami showed remarkable performance on his first-class comeback to not only assure his boarding pass for the Australia series Down Under, but also guided Bengal to their first victory of this Ranji Trophy season against old nemesis Madhya Pradesh. Bengal in the last 15 years have always come a cropper against Madhya Pradesh.
But the presence of Shami certainly lifted the team's morale as Bengal defended a 338-run target by bowling out the hosts for 326 in the post-lunch session here on Saturday to clinch six points with an 11-run victory.
While grabbing 3 for 102 in 24.2 overs in the second innings, Shami removed former MI player Kumar Kartikeya much to the joy of the Bengal dressing room which was desperate for full points.
Bengal with 14 points are third in group C behind Haryana (20 points) and Kerala (18 points).
(With PTI Inputs)