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According to a report, after proving his fitness in the Ranji Trophy match for Bengal, Shami is set to be fast-tracked into India’s Test squad.
Mohammed Shami set to join Team India for Border-Gavaskar Trophy. (Picture Credit: AP)
Star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, who picked up seven wickets in his first competitive match after 360 days, is all set to travel to Australia to take part in the upcoming five-match Test series between India and Australia. According to reports, Shami will travel to Australia with Indian captain Rohit Sharma in the coming days.
The 34-year-old Shami was not included in India’s 18-member squad for the 2024-25 edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which is set to start on November 22 in Perth. But as per the latest information, Shami, who proved his fitness in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 Elite Group C match for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in Indore by bowling more than 40 overs, will be fast-tracked into India’s Test squad.
A report in Dainik Bhaskar claimed that Shami is all set to be included in India’s squad for the marquee series and could fly to Australia with captain Rohit, and both of them could join the team ahead of the first game at Optus Stadium. However, Shami’s inclusion in the playing XI will be taken only after the match in Perth.
Shami, who picked up 24 wickets in seven matches of the ODI World Cup 2023, hasn’t played any match for the Men in Blue since the final against Australia. There were concerns over his fitness, which is why he was not named in India’s Test squad. But now, after he made a successful comeback and brushed aside any doubts related to his fitness and injury, Shami is set to play for India again.
Shami’s inclusion in the team will add strength to India’s bowling attack, which is led by Jasprit Bumrah. Apart from Bumrah, Mohmmed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Harshit Rana are part of India’s pace attack for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
While Bumrah and Siraj have played for India in Australia before, Akash Deep has only played five Tests for India since making his debut in February 2024, and Krishna has represented India only two times in the five-day format of the game. On the other hand, Delhi-based pacer Harshit is yet to make his international debut for India. He has travelled with India’s ODI and T20I teams in the past but didn’t get a chance to play any matches.
