Mohammed Shami’s comeback story from a long injury layoff has been nothing short of remarkable, yet his fitness saga has raised eyebrows, especially in light of India’s recent defeat in the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The ace fast bowler, who finished as the highest wicket-taker in the 2023 World Cup, was sidelined for nearly an entire year due to an ankle injury. After a prolonged period of rehabilitation, Shami returned to competitive cricket, representing Bengal in the Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
Currently, he is participating in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, showcasing his resilience. However, former Indian cricketer Ravi Shastri has expressed frustration over the lack of clarity surrounding Shami’s fitness status, particularly regarding his absence from the Border-Gavaskar series.
Ravi Shastri was taken aback by the inconsistent communication from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding Shami’s recovery process. He criticized the lack of updates on Shami’s progress and questioned why the bowler was not included in the squad for the high-profile tour of Australia, which India lost 3-1.
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“To be honest, I was very surprised with the communication going on in the media about what exactly happened to Mohammed Shami. Where is he in terms of recovery? He’s been sitting at the NCA for I don’t know how long. Why can’t proper communication come out about where he stands?” Ravi Shastri said in a conversation with ICC. “A player of his ability, I would have brought him to Australia,” he added, expressing his belief that Shami could have made a difference.
Shastri went on to suggest that, had he been in charge, he would have ensured Shami traveled with the team to Australia, allowing the bowler to undergo rehabilitation with the support of world-class physios.
“I would have kept him part of the team and made sure his rehabilitation was done with the team,” he said. “Even if by the third Test, we thought he couldn’t play the rest of the series, I would have kept him in the mix.”
Ravi Shastri’s sentiment was echoed by former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, who was surprised that Shami wasn’t flown out halfway through the series. Ponting added that had Shami, along with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, been part of the playing XI, things might have been different for India.
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Interestingly, even India captain Rohit Sharma appeared uncertain about Shami’s fitness status. During a press conference, he shifted responsibility to the National Cricket Academy, stating that Shami had “some complaints about his knee,” highlighting the confusion surrounding the pacer’s availability.
