BCCI selectors face big question on Shami, Siraj after Bhuvneshwar Kumar recall: ‘Who’re your 2nd, 3rd seamers?’

If Bhuvneshwar stays fit he could easily team up with Jasprit Bumrah for that big tournament. Wasim Jaffer, the former India player has backed the selectors’ decision to recall Bhuvneshwar.

‘Better late than never. He deserves this. Unko select karke koi meherbani nahi ki hai kisi ne (nobody has done a favour by selecting him). His performances have been there, and his fitness has been good. I am clueless as to why he was dropped earlier,’ Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.

‘He’s always performed in the IPL and for Uttar Pradesh. So, why wasn’t he getting picked before? We need to look beyond age. Sure, we have young talents, but you can’t just ignore those who are performing well. When the pressure’s on, experience matters. An all-young squad just doesn’t cut it. You’ve got to mix experience with youth.’

Jaffer also raised questions about Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj not getting regular chances.

‘Shami should be picked, especially in the Test team. I don’t know about the ODI team, since we’ve tried out guys like Gurnoor Brar, Prasidh Krishna, and Nitish Reddy, but I still don’t think the management feels certain about the lineup. Siraj isn’t getting consistent game time either. I honestly don’t know who India’s second and third seamers are right now. For me, Shami belongs in the ODI squad, with the World Cup so close. When you have someone of his quality, you need to play him. Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj would be my top three. I’d think about rebuilding after the World Cup,’ he added.

‘I’d really like to see Shami make his comeback in Tests. I’ve been waiting for that for a while. When they announce the team, I’ll be watching out for Shami and Auqib Nabi. If Shami gets left out now, I think that’s the end of the road for him.’