Mohammed Shami lastly returns, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja need to retire & ought to Virat Kohli be banned?

Not the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 provisional squad but have got the roster for the five T20Is against England. With the series set to begin on January 22, a major development occurred, with Mohammed Shami finally returning to the national side. He last played during the ODI World Cup 2023 Final in November 2023. But now he will share the pace bowling duties with the likes of Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh. Apart from this, do Rohit Sharma & Ravindra Jadeja want to retire? Also, should Virat Kohli be banned? Catch all this and much more below on what really happened on January 11 (Saturday).

Virat Kohli should be banned?

Former England cricketer Steve Harmison criticized Virat Kohli for his altercation with Australian opener Sam Konstas during the Boxing Day Test. Kohli reportedly shoulder-barged the 19-year-old during the 100th over, leading to an on-field verbal exchange. Kohli was fined 20% of his match fee for his actions. Harmison expressed his anger, stating Kohli crossed the line of acceptable behaviour and suggested a ban should have been enforced. Despite his admiration for Kohli’s impact on cricket, Harmison was adamant about his thoughts.

Mohammed Shami is back!

Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami is set to make his international comeback in India’s T20I series against England after recovering from an ankle injury. Shami, 34, underwent surgery and rehabilitation and proved his fitness in domestic tournaments. His inclusion in the squad hints that these T20Is will be a stepping stone for his preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy. Shami joins Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana in the pace battery, with several other pacers missing due to injury or rest.

Rohit Sharma wanted to RETIRE!

So it turns out that Rohit Sharma was seriously thinking about retiring from Test cricket after his dismal performance in the BGT. He had a horrible run with the bat, scoring just 31 runs in five innings, and even dropped himself from the playing XI for the fifth Test. But why didn’t he retire? Apparently, his close friends and well-wishers had a chat with him and convinced him to reconsider. It’s interesting to note that there have been rumors of tension between Rohit and Gautam Gambhir, with disagreements over team strategies and combinations as well.

Ravindra Jadeja drops a retirement hint?

Ravindra Jadeja has sparked retirement rumors with a cryptic Instagram post featuring the back of his Test jersey. The 36-year-old all-rounder has been under scrutiny for his performance, and reports suggest the BCCI Selection Committee is looking for options beyond him as well. Jadeja was already ignored as a bowler in the recent Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) and has struggled in Test cricket. His batting, however, remains a bright spot.

Axar Patel new vice captain!

Axar Patel has been named India’s vice captain for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England, replacing Hardik Pandya in the leadership role. India’s previous T20I series against South Africa did not have a vice captain, but Axar’s consistent performances, including his all-round heroics in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 triumph, earned him the promotion. Hardik, once seen as the future captain, now finds himself out of the leadership conversation. Catch the list of India’s vice captains in the last two years here.

KL Rahul in IND vs ENG?

So it looks like KL Rahul is going to be playing in the upcoming ODI series against England after all! There were rumors that he was going to be rested, but it seems like the BCCI has had a change of heart. Rahul had just come off a gruelling Test series against AUS, and was supposed to get some well-deserved rest. But now, he’s being asked to suit up for the three-match ODI series starting February 3.