[WATCH]- Mohammed Shami Trains Intensely in Nets Before Vijay Hazare Trophy Quarterfinals

Mohammed Shami trained intensely in the nets on January 7, ahead of the Vijay Hazare Trophy quarterfinals, impressing with his accuracy by hitting the middle stump. At 34, he remains vital to India’s 2025 Champions Trophy plans after missing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The video surfaced on the same day former India head coach Ravi Shastri raised concerns about the team management’s lack of clarity regarding Shami’s role after his omission from the BGT. Speaking to the ICC, the 62-year-old expressed his thoughts.

“To be honest, I was very surprised with the communication going on in the media as to what exactly happened to Mohammed Shami. Where is he when it comes to recovery? He’s been sitting in the NCA for I don’t know how long. Why can’t proper communication come out on where he stands? A player of his ability, I would have brought him to Australia.”

“I would have kept him part of the team and made sure that his rehabilitation was done with the team,” he added.

Shami shared the video on X, captioning:

“Precision, Pace, and Passion, All Set to Take on the World!”

https://x.com/mdshami11/status/1876591684315918838?s=46

Mohammed Shami last represented India in the 2023 World Cup final against Australia, where he finished as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. The Uttar Pradesh-born pacer recently returned to competitive cricket, playing for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy, followed by the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy.

Shami is now set to feature in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024/25 quarterfinals, facing Haryana in Vadodara on Thursday, January 9.

BCCI Provides Latest Update on Mohammed Shami’s Fitness

In its latest update on December 23, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that Mohammed Shami had been ruled out of the final two Tests in Australia due to a knee injury. The statement read:

“The BCCI Medical Team at the Centre of Excellence has been working closely with Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami on his recovery and rehabilitation after his right heel surgery.”

“Shami has completely recovered from this heel problem. However, his left knee has exhibited minor swelling due to increased joint loading from his bowling workload. The swelling is on the expected lines, owing to the increased bowling after a prolonged period.”

The statement continued:

“Based on the current medical assessment, the BCCI medical team has determined that his knee requires more time for controlled exposure to bowling loads. Consequently, he has not been deemed fit for consideration for the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”

“Shami will continue to undergo targeted strength and conditioning work under the guidance of the medical staff at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence and build his bowling loads needed to meet the demands of the longest format of the game. His participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy will depend on the progress of his knee.”

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