Mohammed Shami’s Fitness Doubts Persist Ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy
India’s ace pacer, Mohammed Shami, is uncertain to return to international cricket. The National Cricket Academy (NCA) is monitoring his fitness. Shami made a strong comeback in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. But, he is unlikely to go to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. This raises doubts about his participation in the high-stakes Test series.
Mohammed Shami’s Recovery: Injury Challenges Linger
Shami has been out of action for nearly a year after undergoing surgery for an ankle injury. He returned to domestic cricket in the SMAT, representing Bengal. He took 8 wickets in 7 matches. His short T20 spells were impressive. But, concerns about his fitness for Test cricket in Australia have delayed a decision on his spot.
Adding to the uncertainty is persistent knee swelling. It has raised red flags about his ability to perform at the highest level.
BCCI’s Monitoring Process for Shami’s Fitness
A team of experts is evaluating Shami’s fitness. It includes BCCI’s Head of Sports Science, Nitin Patel, national selector SS Das, and trainer Nishanta Bardule. This team has closely monitored Shami’s recovery throughout the SMAT in Rajkot.
Sources say Shami will likely not play in the BGT. There is hope he might be fit for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. However, the possibility of him missing the series altogether cannot be ruled out.
Shami to Continue Playing in SMAT for Bengal
For now, Shami will continue playing for Bengal in the ongoing SMAT. Bengal, having made the knockouts, will face Chandigarh in the pre-quarters at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The pacer’s performance in these games will be critical. It will help decide the next steps in his recovery.
