Veteran Indian pacer Mohammed Shami’s return to international cricket has encountered another setback, delaying his comeback yet again. Shami, who last played in the 2023 ODI World Cup and emerged as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, has been struggling with an ankle injury since November of last year.
Initially, his recovery seemed promising, especially after he bowled at full intensity under the supervision of India’s bowling coach, Morne Morkel. However, his fitness has raised concerns, leading to his absence from Bengal’s squad for their Ranji Trophy matches against Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.
Shami’s Optimism and Recovery Challenges
Despite his injury, Shami had been optimistic about his progress, revealing in a recent statement that he had begun bowling with half a run-up to minimize stress on his ankle. He shared that his return to full training felt promising, and he was hopeful about his path to recovery.
“I had been bowling with half a run-up since I can’t put too much stress on my body. We decided that I would bowl properly, and I gave my 100%. It felt great, and the results are good. Hopefully, I’ll be back on track soon,” Shami said in a recent interview. However, even with this progress, his full-match fitness remains uncertain.
Implications for India’s Australia Tour
Shami’s injury impacts India’s strategy for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. Indian captain Rohit Sharma commented on the decision not to risk Shami’s participation unless fully fit, saying, “We don’t want to bring an underprepared Shami to Australia.”
The highly anticipated series begins on November 22 in Perth and includes five Test matches, including iconic fixtures like the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne and the New Year’s Test in Sydney. India’s squad for the series includes pace options like Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana, while Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Khaleel Ahmed are travelling as reserves.
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