Let’s see what the BCCI is doing with Mohammad Sami and Rohit Sharma. BCCI’s medical team’s plans for Mohammed Shami went up in smoke. A career-threatening injury to the pacer caused it.
Mohammed Shami likely still has energy for a few more miles, but will injuries remain absent?
Mohammed Shami’s last match was on 19 November 2023. It was a tough loss to Australia in the World Cup final. After bowling most of the first innings behind Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj, Shami got an unexpected job in the final’s second over. He was ill and wanted to know if the bowling was fresh. The veteran pacer hit his first legal ball, caught by Virat Kohli at first slip off David Warner. But that was as good as it got for Shami and India. He took one wicket for 47 runs in seven overs. His bowling deteriorated as Australia won by six wickets, with 42 balls left. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
Neither Shami nor Indian cricket’s key stakeholders expected a long injury layoff due to his Achilles. It required right ankle surgery in London in February. Guess Shami’s pain hasn’t exactly spilled over into the national team. India had no overseas Tests scheduled in the first 11 months of 2024. The Cape Town outing against South Africa in early January, which the visitors won, lasted over two days. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
The Indian skipper said the fast bowler “had swelling in his knee.” He was trying to recover and return to action.
Mohammed Shami and Rohit Sharma commenting on each other.
India captain Rohit Sharma confirmed a delay in Mohammad Shami’s return. He’s a senior quick. He suffered another “recent setback.” Shami had surgery on his right Achilles tendon in February. Now, he has swelling in his knee, which has “set him back a bit in his recovery,” Rohit said. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
“Right now, we can’t say if he’ll be fit for this series or the Australia series,” Rohit said before India’s first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru. “He recently had a stroke—his knee swelled up, which is very unusual.”
“He was getting fit—close to 100%—and his knee swelled up. It delayed his recovery a bit, so he had to start over.”
Shami’s previous appearance for India came in the World Cup final last November. He took 24 wickets in seven matches. He was India’s top wicket-taker in the tournament. His bowling average was 10.70, and his strike rate was 12.20. He played through pain during the World Cup, taking injections to treat his ankle. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
Shami had surgery in London earlier this year. He was in the running for the five-match series against Australia next month. But the latest injury has delayed him further. While Shami worked with the NCA’s physios, Rohit said India didn’t want to risk taking him to Australia if he wasn’t fit. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
“So he had to start all over again. Right now, he is at NCA. He is working with physios and doctors at NCA. We are keeping our fingers crossed. We want him to be fit. We want him to be 100%. We’re more fit than anything else. We don’t want to bring an undercooked Shami to Australia. It wouldn’t be the right decision for us.”
A left Achilles heel injury ruled Shami out after last year’s World Cup. Knee issues added to his worries. This left Rohit wondering when he would return for the Australia series. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
“It’s quite difficult for a fast bowler to miss so much cricket. Not possible to remove the adverb. We want to give him enough time to recover and be 100% fit. The physio and coaches have set. A road map for him. Before playing international cricket, we will see what level he is at in Australia and if he will suit us.” Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
As a result, India is taking ‘travel stock’ for the Test series against New Zealand. These include Harshit Rana, Mayank Yadav, and Nitish Reddy. Prasidh Krishna was to stay with the team. But, he reportedly suffered another setback in Karnataka’s Ranji Trophy match. He bowled eight overs in Karnataka’s 140 against Madhya Pradesh in Indore. Rohit said the selectors might consider all the backups for the Australia series. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
“We wanted to keep them with us because we’re thinking about taking them to Australia. So we want to check them and see their workload. A lot of these guys have had injuries in the past. So it’s important. We try to see what options we have. Yes, as I said, we want to build a fast bowler where we don’t have 8 or 9 options but 3 or 4 options, so we want to try.”
Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
“Physios, trainers (and) doctors have laid out a roadmap for him. He has scheduled to play a few matches before he plays international cricket. We will see where he is after the New Zealand series. At what stage in Australia will he suit us?” “When it comes to batting, there are so many options. We want to build on that with the bowlers as well. So, we have tried and kept them in the squad. So tomorrow, if they are ready to take it. “Introduction. Before we announce this, some will have played games. So, we want to ensure their workload is well monitored,” said Rohit.” Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
“When you see a talent, you want to try and bring them as close to the team as possible. In a short time, they have shown that they also have some ability. We want to keep them with the team and see if they will be ready for international cricket. No, especially compared to Test cricket, we want to keep them. We want to build bench strength. We don’t want to worry about tomorrow or depend too much on a few people. It’s time to look to the future and ensure we’re with the right people.” Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
“Sometimes you have to fast-track someone. And that’s only for the betterment of Indian cricket. We want to build a community where, even in the event of injuries, there is someone who steps up to take on that role. Both Nitish and Harshit are enough. Talented people are the future. It will give the team more stability. We can’t talk to them much, so it’s about their mentality and thoughts on playing Test cricket. like
Shami’s rehab, under the sports science team at the National Cricket Academy, has gone well. A return to the international stage is possible. It may be in time for the three-Test home series against New Zealand. The team created a strict return-to-play protocol for injured players. They must prove their fitness in match conditions. He would play in one of Bengal’s first Ranji Trophy matches. Then, they would bring him back into the national team. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
The timeline was in his favor. The Ranji season started on 11 October. The final Test against New Zealand was in Mumbai on 1 November. Shami must play a state game before the five-Test tour of Australia next month. This is true even if he misses the first two Tests in Bengaluru (from Wednesday) and Pune (from October 24-28). Prove and prove yourself. There was ample opportunity to revert to testing mode. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
So far, so good. Until recently, a 34-year-old faced a knee injury. It could ruin his chance to compete in Australia. In peak fitness, Shami has a swollen knee. It’s unusual and forces him to start from scratch. It may even prevent him from playing a Test in Australia. Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
Apart from the pace bowling stock, Rohit’s participation in part of the India-Australia series may be in doubt. India named Jasprit Bumrah as vice-captain for the New Zealand series. The extent of Rohit’s unavailability is not yet confirmed. But Rohit is confident in Bumrah’s ability as captain.
Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
“Bumrah has played a lot of cricket and I have played a lot of cricket with him. He understands the game very well. He has a good head on his shoulders. Not possible to remove the adverb. He has captained one Test match and a couple of T20s. , but when you talk to him, he realizes that you will be in situations where you have to step up. Bumrah will be one of them.” Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
For Shami not to be ‘undercooked’, he must have overs under his belt in a match, not in the nets. It’s a long way from where he is now. So, India will have to do without him for at least the first half of the Australia tour. India has grown used to not calling on their first-choice options due to injuries. Their last tour in Australia was a great example of a series of merciless cuts. Shami himself broke his hand in the first Test in Adelaide when the showdown began. India also lost Ravindra Jadeja, Hanuma Bihari, R. Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah. That they still roared to a second series win Down Under was nothing short of admirable. Shami aims to build on 37 wickets in eight Tests in Australia. There, the bounce is high and seam matters more than swing. He is at a stage in his career where he tends to exercise caution. Chronic injuries may extend his career, but he is at an age where recovery takes longer than that of a younger man. Shami has been a mainstay of Indian cricket for twelve years. He has shown his strength and reliability on the field. He debuted in ODIs in January 2013. His 448 international wickets show his hard work. He might still have some gas in the tank and a few more miles on his legs, but will the injuries stay away? “So in the past, he’s always been in our leadership team. You know, whether it’s talking to bowlers who have come into the squad. Engaging in internal discussions within the team about how to move forward. A team, so he’s always been. That leader and an experienced player. So, the team’s forward is the topic of our internal discussions.”
Mohammad Shami and Rohit Sharma
India has eight Tests left in the current WTC cycle. They will play a three-match series against New Zealand. They will then tour Australia from 22 November 2024 to play five Tests.
