Shahbaz Ahmed enjoyed a terrific Ranji Trophy.
After Axar Patel was ruled out for the final two T20Is against South Africa, India made a surprising decision to include Shahbaz Ahmed as his replacement. Shahbaz has not been close to the setup for a while, and his spot wasn’t even fixed in LSG’s team during IPL 2025.
His last India outing was during the 2023 Asian Games, when a second-string side competed in the tournament, with most big players busy with international assignments. Still, he got a chance ahead of the likes of Krunal Pandya, who has improved massively as a bowler and brings ample batting value, and Anukul Roy, a more consistent performer in SMAT.
However, Shahbaz Ahmed exclaimed that he expected this call after doing well in the domestic competitions. During an interview with RevSportz, he revealed that he was practising in the morning when he received the call and will look to make an impact if given a chance.
“It (call-up) is not surprising. I always believed that if I performed well, I would play for India again. I was practising in the morning when I received the call. I am very happy and excited to join the squad. If I get a shot at the playing XI, I’ll give my best to make the team win.”
Shahbaz Ahmed enjoyed a terrific Ranji Trophy season with Bengal, where he contributed with both bat and ball. He scored 300 runs at an average of 60 in six innings, with two fifties and a century.
Additionally, he took 22 wickets, the most for Bengal, at 16.31 runs apiece in seven outings, including two five-wicket hauls. His performances were crucial to the team’s success, as Bengal remained unbeaten in the initial phase of five matches and are at the top of the table.
Later, Shahbaz Ahmed has also done well in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025/26, with four wickets at an average of 33 in five outings. He also has 60 runs at a strike rate of 133.33 in five innings, with a best of 38*.
Maybe he has been awarded for his superior performances in red-ball cricket, but his recent form was surely tempting for the selectors. He was also with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during IPL 2025 and will have an idea about the conditions in Lucknow, where the fourth T20I will be played.
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