Mohammed Shami hasn’t yet got the all-clear from the Nitin Patel-led medical team at the Centre of Excellence to join Rohit Sharma’s squad in Australia.

Bengal ended their campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Wednesday following their loss to Baroda in the quarter-finals.

The fast bowler played nine matches in the T20 tournament besides a Ranji Trophy fixture since his comeback from surgery.

The Telegraph understands that though Shami has been bowling his full quota of overs, he is yet to attain the desired fitness level needed to play a Test match.

“His knee is not 100 per cent and it will not be possible for him to bowl the long spells needed in a Test match. Even during the T20 meet he had issues with his knee which needed urgent medical attention,” a source told The Telegraph.

India's Jasprit Bumrah celebrates the dismissal of Australia's Usman Khawaja during the day one of the second cricket test match between Australia and India at the Adelaide Oval in Adelaide, Australia, Friday, Dec. 6, 2024. PTI

He is being assessed on a day-to-day basis and the medical team doesn’t want another breakdown in the middle of a Test match. There is no guarantee that he will take the flight to Australia before the Melbourne Test on Boxing Day, December 26.

A team from the Centre of Excellence has been accompanying Shami to all matches and monitoring his progress. It won’t come as a surprise if he is not sent to Australia at all.

On Wednesday, Shami went for more than 10 runs an over in an exhibition of wayward bowling against Baroda. He hardly looked his usual self and it was only in his second spell that he managed to pick up two wickets.

Rohit too stressed on being cautious about Shami after the loss in Adelaide. “...he got some swelling in his knee, which hampers his preparation to come and play a Test match. We want to be very careful, we don’t want to bring him here, he pulls up sore or something happens,” the India captain said.

The senior pacer has not played for India since the 2023 ODI World Cup final in November last year after which he had surgery in February for an ankle injury.

Even as fitness concerns over Shami keeps growing, Jasprit Bumrah’s workload in Australia is a topic of much debate.

During the 81st over of Australia’s first innings in Adelaide, Bumrah was seen clutching his inner thigh in pain and was forced to spend time with India’s strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai.

However, he shrugged off any injury concerns and returned to the attack quickly. His absence from training in Adelaide on Tuesday fuelled further speculation. The team management has stressed that there’s nothing to worry and he would play the third Test.

The Indians arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday morning and will practice at the Gabba on Thursday.

Shah’s arrival

ICC chair Jay Shah landed in Brisbane on Wednesday and is expected to watch the thirdTest. He is accompaniedby BCCI’s interim secretary Devajit Saikia.