India’s hopes of having star pacer Mohammed Shami in their arsenal for the upcoming Test tour of Australia have been dealt a blow, with captain Rohit Sharma virtually ruling him out. The reason? A recent knee swelling has complicated Shami’s recovery from an ankle surgery, leaving him uncertain for both the ongoing series against New Zealand and the crucial tour down under.
Speaking on the eve of the first Test against New Zealand, Rohit revealed the challenges Shami faces. “To be honest, right now, it’s pretty difficult for us to make a call on him, whether he’ll be fit for this series or the Australia series. He recently had swelling on his knee, which was quite unusual,” he stated.
The setback has forced Shami to restart his rehabilitation process, putting his return on hold. “He was in the process of getting fit, getting close to 100 per cent, he had swelling in his knee, that put him back a little bit in his recovery. So, he had to start again. Right now, he’s at NCA, he’s working with the physios and the doctors at NCA,” Rohit elaborated.
India’s captain is adamant that they won’t rush Shami back into action. “We are keeping our fingers crossed, we want him to be 100 per cent fit. We don’t want to bring an undercooked Shami to Australia, that is not going to be the right decision for us. It is quite tough for a fast bowler, having missed so much of cricket, and then suddenly to come out and be at his best, it is not ideal,” he emphasized.
Shami’s recovery timeline remains uncertain, but the National Cricket Academy (NCA) has laid out a roadmap for his return. “The physios, the trainers, and the doctors have set a roadmap for him. He is supposed to play a couple of (practice) games before he plays international cricket,” Rohit explained, hinting at a possible internal match scenario before Shami can be considered for national selection.
With the five-Test series in Australia commencing on November 22nd, the clock is ticking for Shami. His absence would be a significant blow to India’s bowling attack, especially considering his impressive record of 229 wickets in 64 Tests at an average of 27.71. The team management will closely monitor his progress in the coming weeks to determine his availability for the crucial tour.