File photo of Mohammed Shami© BCCI/Sportzpics
With the Indian team in dire need of bowling reinforcements in Australia, the wait is on for veteran pacer Mohammed Shami to join the team. It looked like Shami could be ready to take part in the final two Tests of the series, but concerns over his fitness have prevented the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from flying him Down Under any time soon. Indian captain Rohit Sharma was asked about Shami's status after the conclusion of the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. Rohit kept the door open for Shami but refused to give a timeline.
The India captain also suggested that the pacer is dealing with a swollen knee as he prepares to return to fitness in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Bengal.
A report in the Indian Express claimed that Shami has undergone another fitness test, indicating that the pacer is not yet ready for 5-day cricket. Therefore, a flight to Australia may soon be ruled out. But Shami will feature in Bengal's quarter-final against Baroda at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium where his fitness and knee problems could be tested again.
There are doubts over whether Shami is ready to bowl for long spells in the red-ball format as he is dealing with swollen knee problems even when bowling four overs for Bengal's T20 side.
Since his return to competitive cricket, Shami has featured in one Ranji Trophy and has also played in each of Bengal's seven matches so far in the SMAT, excelling with both the ball and the bat.
What Rohit Sharma said about Mohammed Shami's situation
Rohit did not sound too optimistic about Shami's potential return, highlighting the knee problems that the veteran pacer continues to face. The India captain claimed that he does not want to bring Shami back into the team anytime soon unless he is assured of his 100% fitness.
“We want to be more than 100% sure about him because it's been a long time. We don't want to put pressure on him to come here and do the job for the team. There are some professionals who are keeping an eye on him, we'll take him with us a call based on what those guys feel They're the ones who watch him every game, how he stops after the game, after bowling four overs and standing for twenty overs But the door is ahead him open to come at any time play. Rohit had said.
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