Mohammed Shami, the fast bowler for India, is recovering from an ankle injury that has prevented him from playing cricket since the ODI World Cup in November with notable progress.
Mohammed Shami, the fast bowler for India, is recovering from an ankle injury that has prevented him from playing cricket since the ODI World Cup in November with notable progress. It is anticipated that he would be fit to play during India’s domestic season, which begins in September with a Test series against Bangladesh. Shami’s development has been reported to the selectors, and they will shortly decide if he should participate in at least one of the Duleep Trophy matches, which kick off in Anantapur on September 5 to demonstrate his fitness.
Presently, Shami is nearing the end of his recuperation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) located in Bengaluru.
For the first time since his operation, he started bowling again last month, and he has been progressively increasing his effort while claiming no pain.
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced before India left on their July tour of Sri Lanka that Shami has begun bowling and that his return target would be the first Test match against Bangladesh, which begins in Chennai on September 19.
Ajit Agarkar was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying, “We more or less know who the guys are, there are some injuries at the moment and hope they will be back up. Shami has started to bowl which is a good sign. September 19 is the first Test and that was always the goal. I don’t know if that is his timeline for recovery, will have to ask the guys at the NCA about that.”
Agarkar also stressed the need for depth in the fast bowling unit in light of the upcoming hectic Test calendar.
He stated, “There are so many Tests coming. We will need some depth. Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj have been around for a while, these are the obvious ones. But there will be some conversation around it. Got a lot of first-class cricket coming up so we can build guys up like that.”
This emphasizes the necessity of having a large pool of quick bowlers on hand who can be switched around to balance workloads and injuries.
Shami will have plenty of time to get back into the flow of his bowling for the Australian trip, even if he misses part or all of India’s next home Test matches—two against Bangladesh and three against New Zealand.
On November 5, immediately after the conclusion of the third Test against New Zealand, the squad will depart. In addition, India’s A squad will play two first-class matches in Australia starting on October 31, and the Ranji Trophy starts in October, giving Shami plenty of opportunity to improve.
When Shami’s ankle issue first became noticeable during the 2023 ODI World Cup, it was thought to be mild. He will miss the Gujarat Titans’ IPL 2024 and the home Tests against England in February and March, though, as a result of the decision to have surgery due to ongoing swelling.
At a strike rate of 12.20 and an average of 10.70 across seven games, Shami was a key player in leading India to the ODI World Cup final.
His comeback will be a major boost for India’s seam attack going into a tough domestic season and the tour of Australia, as he approaches full health.
Your writing style is engaging and informative. I’ve learned so much from this post and can’t wait to apply these tips to my own projects.
Thanks for sharing this valuable information.