Mohammed Shami all set for a comeback to Indian team, bowls with Precision, Pace, and Passion, Watch Video
New Delhi: As the Indian team anxiously awaits updates on the extent of Jasprit Bumrah‘s back injury, Mohammed Shami has posted a video of himself bowling in the nets, confidently declaring that he is fit and ready to “take on the world.”
Shami has been consistently playing for Bengal in domestic cricket since making his competitive return in November last year. Despite showcasing his match fitness, the 34-year-old was not selected for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost 1-3.
Shami last played for India in the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, before being sidelined for almost a year due to an ankle injury.
Meanwhile, Bumrah suffered from back spasms during the fifth and final Test of India’s tour to Australia, which concluded last week. He was taken for scans midway through the match and didn’t bowl in Australia’s second innings, as they won by six wickets to claim the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time in a decade.
As per reports, Bumrah will undergo an assessment upon his return to India, with his recovery depending on the severity of the injury. India is scheduled to host England for a five-match T20I series followed by three ODIs, before heading to Dubai next month for the Champions Trophy 2025.
Shami, who underwent ankle surgery in February last year, made his competitive return through the Ranji Trophy in November. Despite participating in domestic matches, he did not receive fitness clearance from the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. There were also reports of knee swelling, further delaying his comeback. In December, the BCCI officially ruled Shami out of the Boxing Day Test against Australia, as well as the remaining two matches of the series.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, however, believes Shami should have been part of the squad regardless. He suggested that Shami could have continued his rehabilitation with the team during the tour. “I would have kept him part of the team and made sure that his rehabilitation was done with the team,” Shastri told the ICC Review. “And then if we thought by the third Test match that no, this guy can’t play the rest of the series, I would let him go.”