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Mohammed Shami made an impressive comeback from injury by grabbing four wickets in a Ranji Trophy match.
Ranji Trophy 2024: Mohammed Shami picked up four wickets (PTI)
Mohammed Shami returned to the field after being out of action for 360 days due to an achilles injury needing surgery. The Indian pacer turned up for Bengal in their ongoing Ranji Trophy clash against Madhya Pradesh at Holkar Stadium in Indore.
Shami bowled four spells across 57 overs in Madhya Pradesh’s first innings and returned with figures of 19-4-54-4.
As Shami made a successful return to competitive action. former head coach Ravi Shastri said India would be better off with having the fast-bowler back in the team as soon as possible for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
“If anything, I would have wanted a little more support for Jasprit (Bumrah) in the pace-bowling attack. So the quicker Mohammed Shami gets fit and is on a flight, I think it’s better for India,” said Shastri on the ICC Review show.
If all goes well, then Shami will most likely be available for the second half of India’s trip for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, starting on November 22 in Perth, followed by matches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney till January 7, 2025.
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The national selection committee will reportedly look at how his body holds up in the second innings as well and whether there is any swelling or pain at the end of the contest, being played at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
If he ticks all the boxes, it is almost assured that he will join forces with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah before the second Test, which will be a day/night affair.
The Ranji Trophy match ends on November 16 and he could join the squad before the first Test, beginning in Perth on November 22, but that could be cutting it too fine.
In case Shami goes, he will get to play a two-day day/night practice game against Prime Minister’s XI.
India need to win four of the five Tests in Australia to have a big shot at sealing their place in a third straight World Test Championship final. Shami has taken 229 wickets in 64 Tests, and has established himself as an integral member of India’s fast-bowling line-up fetching the team massive success in home and overseas games.
Shami had played a pivotal role in India’s first-ever Test series win in Australia in 2018/19, where he picked 16 wickets in four matches at an average of 26.18, as the visitors’ won 2-1. Though he didn’t play after the first Test in Adelaide on the 2020/21 tour due to a fractured right forearm, India managed to secure an unforgettable 2-1 triumph.
(With inputs from Agencies)
