The Board of Control for Cricket in India is waiting for the National Cricket Academy’s approval to send pacer Mohammed Shami to Australia for the last three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The Indian Express has learned that the senior selection committee is looking for the most recent fitness test results from the NCA to […]
The Board of Control for Cricket in India is waiting for the National Cricket Academy’s approval to send pacer Mohammed Shami to Australia for the last three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
The Indian Express has learned that the senior selection committee is looking for the most recent fitness test results from the NCA to include him in the Test squad.
It seems the BCCI has already arranged the attire for the pacer, and his visa is also secured. Once he is deemed fit, he will depart for Australia at the earliest opportunity.
While India has begun on a winning note in Perth, they felt Shami’s absence in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, where Harshit Rana has struggled so far.
Perth and the day/night Test in Adelaide would have provided perfect conditions for Shami, yet a bowler of his caliber does not always rely on favorable circumstances. (Reuters)
“The selection committee is pending NCA’s fitness clearance report on Shami. He went to Bengaluru for a fitness assessment. He participated in the Ranji Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s, where he performed well. His equipment is also set. We are just awaiting the NCA’s green light,” said a BCCI official.
“There is no communication at all between Shami and the team management,” says Mohammed Badruddin, Mohammed Shami’s childhood coach.
“He is in shape. He played one match in the Ranji Trophy, aiding Bengal in reaching the quarter-finals of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He bowled lengthy spells in red-ball games and fielded throughout the 20 overs in white-ball cricket. How much more evidence do they need?”
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“If the Indian team management is keen on winning the series, they will call him back before the Brisbane Test. One Bumrah cannot secure the series on his own. He needs support, as shown in this Test. Experience matters.”
“If he does not go to Australia, he will represent Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Who does this affect negatively?”
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri raised concerns regarding India’s pace bowling lineup, stating that Shami’s inclusion would greatly enhance the squad for the remaining three Tests. “The sooner he (Shami) arrives, the better,” Ravi Shastri commented while on air for Star Sports.
Shami, who last played in a Test during India’s World Test Championship final loss to Australia in June 2023, has made a commendable return after a year-long hiatus due to a knee injury. The 34-year-old was the leader of the Bengal pace attack in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament, securing 8 wickets in seven matches at an economy of 7.67 to propel the team into the knockouts.
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Shami also participated in a Ranji Trophy match, leading Bengal to an exciting victory over Madhya Pradesh with a remarkable seven-wicket haul.
However, Shastri mentioned that Shami is expected to rejoin the squad in time for the next Test, which begins in Brisbane on December 14. The fourth and fifth Tests of the series will take place in Melbourne and Sydney from December 26 to January 7.
“I believe Brisbane might be a tad too soon, perhaps Melbourne and Sydney would be more feasible,” Shastri concluded.
