Mohammed Shami could join the Indian team ahead of the second Test against Australia in Adelaide provided his fitness is cleared by the National Cricket Academy. (More Cricket News)
Shami returned to competitive action on Wednesday after a gap of almost a year, playing for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. The pacer had an impressive outing in the first innings as he dismissed four Madhya Pradesh batters and returned with figures of 19-4-54-4.
According to a PTI report, the national selection committee will look at how his body holds up in the second innings as well and whether there is any swelling or pain at the end of the Madhya Pradesh vs Bengal contest. If the BCCI medical team is satisfied that the pacer is fully fit, he will be travelling to Australia and will be included in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
A Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) source told PTI that national selection committee member Ajay Ratra had specifically come along with NCA medical team head Patel to watch Shami bowl. Their feedback will be sent to chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir before a final call is taken.
A BCCI source told PTI, "Obviously, Shami was asked to play this game keeping in mind that the next round of Ranji Trophy will only start on January 23 after the Test season is over.
"So, the selectors had only one match to check his fitness. He has bowled 19 overs in multiple spells and fielded for most part of the 57 overs. He bowled 90 dot balls. But he will again have to bowl and field (in the second innings). Suppose he bowls another 15 to 18 overs in the second innings, that's a very decent amount of overs bowled.
"But the biggest test would be whether he again feels any pain after four days. If the NCA medical team green-lights his fitness, obviously he will join before the second Test," the BCCI source added.
Shami had undergone an ankle surgery after the 2023 Cricket World Cup and was out of competitive action since November last year. He was supposed to return during India-New Zealand Test series at home. However, an issue in the knee kept him out of the series.
Boder-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 begins November 22 in Perth. India and Australia will play five Tests in the series.
