Will Mohammed Shami play in Australia? Jay Shah reveals
BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has provided a significant update on the return of Indian pacer Mohammed Shami to cricket. In a recent announcement, the former indicated that Shami is likely to feature in the impending Border-Gavaskar Test series Down Under. This news follows recent concerns raised by Shami himself about his uncertain comeback timeline. The seasoned pacer hasn't played competitive cricket following the 2023 ICC Cricket World Cup final.
Shami's inclusion in Australia tour confirmed by Shah
Despite concerns over Shami's unclear return date and his absence from the Duleep Trophy, Shah has assured that Shami will be part of the Indian team for their Australia tour later this year. "Our team is already well prepared. We have rested Jasprit Bumrah for a while now. Mohammad Shami is expected to be fit too," he told the Times of India when asked about India's preparation for the Australia series.
Recovery from ankle injury and surgery
Shami has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup, which required surgical intervention. He has been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru ever since. The injury resulted in him missing the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) with Gujarat Titans and the ICC T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA, where India supreme after defeating South Africa.
BCCI chief selector hopeful of Shami's return
Last month, Ajit Agarkar, Team India's chief selector, expressed optimism about Shami's return for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh, starting September 19. "September 19 is the first Test and that was always the goal. I don't know if that is his timeline for recovery, will have to ask the guys at NCA about that," he stated before India's departure for their tour of Sri Lanka in July.
Shami must prove his worth in domestic cricket: CAB
According to a new directive from BCCI, Shami will need to demonstrate his capabilities in domestic cricket to secure a spot in the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar series Down Under. "He wants to be on that tour. But he has to play Ranji Trophy to prove himself," stated Snehashish Ganguly, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president.
Shami's exploits in WC 2023
To recall, Shami replaced the injured Hardik Pandya in the 2023 ODI World Cup. The former finished as the highest wicket-taker (24) and broke a flurry of records in just seven matches. Shami claimed three five-wicket hauls and a solitary four-fer, including a career-best 7/57 in the semi-final against New Zealand. His average in the tournament read a jaw-dropping 10.70.
Fifth-most wickets for India in Tests
With 229 wickets in 64 games at 27.71, Shami is India's fifth-highest wicket-taker among pacers in Tests. The tally includes six fifers. At home, he has picked up 76 wickets in 21 Tests at 22.10. Shami owns 44 Test wickets each against Australia and England.
