Mohammed Shami will not travel to Australia for the remaining two Tests for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, the BCCI confirmed on Monday evening.
With less than 72 hours remaining for the Boxing Day Test to begin in Melbourne, it was obvious that the fast bowler won’t be available. The medical unit at the Bengaluru-based Centre of Excellence affirmed that due to a swelling on his left knee, Shami’s participation in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy was also uncertain.
He was already not included in the squad for Bengal’s opener against Delhi last Saturday as a precaution and now his participation in the tournament will depend completely on how his knee responds to treatment.
The BCCI media release on his fitness status came days after India captain Rohit Sharma called on the Centre of Excellence (previously known as the National Cricket Academy) to provide an update on Shami’s progress upon being asked about it once again at the end of the Brisbane Test.
“Shami bowled 43 overs in the Ranji Trophy match for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in November. Following this, he played in all nine games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he also engaged in additional bowling sessions on the sidelines to build his bowling volume in order to get ready for the Test matches,” said a media release issued by joint secretary Devajit Saikia.
“However, his left knee has exhibited minor swelling due to increased joint loading from his bowling work- load. The swelling is on the expected lines, owing to the increased bowling after a prolonged period.
“Based on the current medical assessment, the BCCI medical team has determined that his knee requires more time for controlled exposure to bowling loads. Consequently, he has not been deemed fit for consideration for the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.”
The 34-year-old spearheaded the Bengal pace attack in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, picking up 11 wickets in nine matches at an economy of 7.85.
The Telegraph had reported on December 12 that Shami was unlikely to go to Australia because of a dodgy knee.
It is understood that Shami will go through a bowling spell on Tuesday in Bengaluru and a call will then be taken on his availability for the remainder of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Bengal’s next match is on Thursday against Tripura.
The medical staff are unwilling to take any risk with Shami’s workload and his
participation in the Champions Trophy in February is uncertain too. Nitin Patel,
the head of the medical unit, has been accompanying Shami to all venues to keep an eye on his fitness.
“We don’t want a situation where he is forced to go through the entire process of rehabilitation afresh in a bid to rush him into international cricket. We have to be patient with him,” a source said.
If his recovery is on track, he will be fully fit before the IPL and then could be available if India reach the WTC final or the five-Test tour of England in July.
“Shami will continue to undergo targeted strength and conditioning work under the guidance of the medical staff at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence and build his bowling loads needed to meet the demands of the longest format of the game. His participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy will depend on the progress of his knee,” the media release stated.
The fast bowler has not played for India since the ODI World Cup final in November last year, after which he underwent surgery for a heel injury in February.
In Shami’s absence, Mohammed Siraj and Harshit Rana partnered Jasprit Bumrah in the first two Tests while Akash Deep replaced Rana for the Brisbane match. Akash struggled to get used to the conditions in the first innings but did impress during his brief second innings stint.
The Indian attack has come under a lot of scrutiny with Bumrah not finding enough support at the other end. It remains to be seen if India continue with the same pace attack in Melbourne.