New Delhi: Ace speedster Mohammed Shami is likely to make a comeback to competitive cricket in the upcoming Ranji Trophy, featuring for his domestic side Bengal, and might later appear internationally in one of the Test matches against New Zealand. Shami is currently undergoing rehabilitation after an ankle surgery that he underwent in February this year. He has been missing from the Indian setup for quite long now.
According to a PTI report, it is understood that Shami will play either one or both of Bengal’s opening Ranji matches against Uttar Pradesh (away) on October 11 and against Bihar in Kolkata on October 18. There will be only a two-day gap between the games, which makes it unlikely that he will feature in both games. Nonetheless, his comeback would ring positive bells for the Indian cricket team who will host New Zealand in October and will tour Australia in November.
The New Zealand Test series starts from October 19 in Bengaluru and the action will shift to Pune (October 24) and Mumbai (November 1). It is said that Shami is expected to play one of these Tests before he takes the flight for the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The 34-year-old right-arm quick last donned the Indian jersey during the ODI World Cup final against Australia in Ahmedabad on November 19, last year.
Shami’s road to recovery
Since November last year, Shami hasn’t played any competitive games as he underwent surgery in the United Kingdom for his right heel problem and was ruled out of action for a minimum period of six months. Shami has been quite active on his social media accounts as he often shares his training clips from either on the field or in the gym, giving a glimpse of his rehabilitation to his fans.
There have been videos of him starting off with his RTP routines (Return To Play) at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru as he bowls with low intensity and a shortened run-up. Earlier, a few reports also suggested that he could be available for the Duleep Trophy but it was learned that there was no chance for him to get fit for the tournament and that the selectors didn’t want to take a risk by rushing the process.
Shami has fared well for India in Tests, having taken 229 wickets from 64 Tests with six five-wicket hauls and 12 four-wicket hauls. India’s priority is to have their three pace stalwarts – Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Mohammed Siraj ready for the five Tests in Australia.
Mohammed Shami has been under the recovery process for quite some time now after his ankle surgery and a recent report suggests that he will most likely return on the field with the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
