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Shahbaz Ahmed returns for Bengal as Shami leads the attack against Services

Bengal's leading wicket-taker last season is back after shoulder surgery for Sunday's Ranji Trophy match at Palam, with Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar away with India A.

From the editorial desk · New DelhiPublished

Key points

  1. Shahbaz Ahmed, who took 35 wickets for Bengal last season, is fit again after right shoulder surgery.
  2. Mohammed Shami, who took five wickets against Delhi, will lead a pace attack missing Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar.
  3. Overnight rain left the practice pitches at Palam A Stadium too wet for proper nets on Saturday.

Bengal will have Shahbaz Ahmed back for Sunday’s Ranji Trophy match against Services at Palam A Stadium in Delhi, a timely return with two of their frontline seamers away on India A duty.

The 31-year-old all-rounder was Bengal’s leading wicket-taker last season with 35 wickets, but has had a run of injury setbacks. The latest was a right shoulder injury picked up in the Bengal Pro T20 League, which needed surgery in Mumbai.

Shami at the head of the attack

With Akash Deep and Mukesh Kumar with India A, Mohammed Shami is expected to lead the pace attack. He took five wickets in the opening-round win over Delhi and is also expected to play Bengal’s next away match, against Kerala. Shami, again left out of India’s Test squad for the tour of New Zealand, did a light workout and took throwdowns on Saturday.

One bowling place is likely to go to either Mohammed Kaif or Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, and Abhimanyu Easwaran’s side is expected to keep the same batting order.

Both teams trained at the ground on Saturday, but overnight rain left the practice pitches wet. Bengal could not hold a proper nets session and settled for fielding drills and throwdowns.

Where the teams stand

Bengal start the round in good shape. Coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla’s side beat Delhi by nine wickets, with centuries from Abhishek Porel and Sudip Gharami, though they missed out on the maximum seven points because the win was neither by an innings nor by ten wickets. Services lost their opener to Maharashtra by 127 runs.

The second round of the Elite group stage runs from 18 to 21 October.