New Delhi: The suspense over Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami’s availability for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test series against Australia has finally come to an end after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the player isn’t deemed ‘fit’ for consideration for the remaining two Test matches in Melbourne and Sydney.
Shami’s availability for the Australia Tests was closely anticipated as well as monitored by the medical team of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The Indian fast bowler hasn’t featured in any international match since November 2023 owing to a knee injury, for which he underwent a surgery.
However, the 34-year-old pacer hit the nets during India’s Test series against New Zealand at home in October. He returned to competitive cricket nearly after a year-long hiatus when he played an instrumental role for Bengal’s nervy 11-run victory against Madhya Pradesh in Ranji Trophy group match, picking seven wickets in total.
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Medical & Fitness Update on Mohammed Shami #TeamIndia
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— BCCI (@BCCI) December 23, 2024
Shami played nine matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Bengal thereafter, helping them to reach the quarterfinal stage before they were knocked out by Baroda.
What is BCCI’s assessment on Shami’s fitness?
The BCCI’s latest media release states that Shami has recovered from injury but isn’t proper match-fit to play for the Indian team and will need enough time to get ready for the kind of the workload.
“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,” the BCCI statement read.
“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,” it further added.
India are currently tied at 1-1 in the five-match Test series against Australia and will play the fourth Test match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting on December 26.
Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami won’t be travelling to Australia for the remaining part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy following the assessment of BCCI’s medical team, where the player was deemed unfit to play the big-level matches. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
