Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Shami could join India squad before 4th Test in Melbourne

Border-Gavaskar Trophy: Shami could join India squad before 4th Test in Melbourne

As India’s fast bowlers struggled in the pink-ball Test at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, former India head coach Ravi Shastri advocated for the inclusion of Mohammed Shami in the squad at the earliest.

While calling the second Test as a commentator, Shastri did not mince his words in expressing his concern over the visiting team’s pace bowling attack for the series and went on saying that the pressure on batters significantly goes down when Jasprit Bumrah is taken out of the attack.

While there seems to be some sort of ambiguity over Shami’s availability, several sources have indicated that efforts are on to ensure the fast bowler, who’s returning from a long injury lay-off, is flown down to Australia soon. Having returned to domestic cricket, Shami has so far featured in a Ranji Trophy group league fixture against Madhya Pradesh and also played in the entire league stage of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). While the medical team is working on his weight and is in the process of getting him in shape, Shami will also play in the pre-quarterfinal fixture of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Chandigarh on Monday, which will be his eighth game in a span of 16 days.

So far, he has claimed eight wickets in seven T20s in SMAT.

While a certain section in the Board believes that Shami’s return to international return should not be rushed, there’s also a strong possibility of him joining the squad ahead of the fourth Test in Melbourne, beginning on December 26.

While he has been following a strict diet, Shami is believed to have shed nearly six kilograms and if all goes well, the National Cricket Academy could soon issue a fit certificate. “It is still not clear whether he will be asked to join the squad in Brisbane for the third Test as there’s not much time. But going by the way he has performed in the domestic season, it looks Shami is ready for an international comeback,” a source, who has been following the developments closely, said.

As Harshit Rana and Mohammad Siraj struggled against the Australian batters in Adelaide, Shastri said that Shami’s experience will come in handy in the remainder of the series.

“The quicker Mohammed Shami reaches here, the better it is for India. He is playing a lot of domestic matches,” Shastri told official broadcasters. “He is playing a lot of domestic matches. Brisbane might be too early but surely, Shami can be available for Melbourne and Sydney…”