The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named a 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup tournament, which is slated to begin later the month in the UAE. And among the notable exclusions has been that of star India pacer Mohammed Shami. After missing an array of matches for India in the T20I format, experts expected the return of Shami in the Indian team for the Asia Cup tournament, and his exclusion was questioned by many. However, former Pakistan captain Salman Butt explained the logic behind BCCI's move to snub Shami.

India auditioned as many as 11 pacers since the last T20 World Cup for a place in the 2022 edition of the tournament. But Shami did not appear in a single series. He was part of the ODI series in England, but wasn't included in the T20I series against Jos Buttler's men neither did he travel to West Indies for the limited-overs tour.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Butt explained that Shami has been dropped because of his previous performances at the UAE which has been unimpactful. He also opined that India have added more agile players, ones who can bowl and deliver with the bat lower down the order.

“India have rested Mohammad Shami for the Asia Cup. This could be because the last time he played in the UAE, he wasn't able to make a significant impact with the new ball. India have opted for players who are more agile in the field and can also contribute with the bat lower down the order.

Jasprit Bumrah has been ruled out of the Asia Cup and India haven't named the likes of Mohammad Shami and Mohammed Siraj in the squad. They have a very young pace attack and Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the most experienced seamer in their side. There are two leg spinners in the squad. I believe they have picked the right squad, considering the conditions in the UAE," he explained.

(With inputs from agencies)