Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra said that Mohammed Shami potentially being added to Team India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 after playing just one first-class game in a year might be a hasty call as well. He also added that the
star seamer seemed ‘undercooked’ in the Ranji Trophy game he played for Bengal.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “The Indian selectors are very keen to send Mohammed Shami to Australia alongside Rohit (Sharma). However, it’s also been heard that the Indian team wants him to play a little more cricket because one match in a year and suddenly the trip to Australia, straightaway a Test match, that can actually be a little too much to ask,” he said.

“Mohammed Shami played one match. We couldn’t see much of his bowling because that match wasn’t getting streamed. We did see the wickets. I will say he is undercooked. You and I want Shami to be there because Bumrah, Shami and Siraj – there is a different ring to it. Bumrah, Siraj and Akash Deep/Prasidh Krishna – you see a little lack of experience there. However, pushing Shami so quickly into Test cricket will be questionable because firstly he hasn’t played any cricket for one year. If you play a match after one year, and suddenly you say that he should be played a Test match, that won’t be fair,” Chopra again shared.

In the same video, Aakash Chopra also added that Mohammed Shami needs to have a few more overs to bowl now, especially considering the ground conditions in Australia.

“If there is a breakdown in the middle of the match or your form looks very bad, then you suddenly ask why so much desperation. So you want him to play a little more. Secondly, if you ask any fast bowler, they say the Australian grounds are very soft, they are sand-based grounds, so there is a lot of pressure on the back, hamstrings, knees and ankles,” he explained.

“In such a scenario, if you are even slightly undercooked, there are chances of getting injured again. So I will say take a little time. Let Shami play a little more. We want him to quickly play for India again but if you are too hasty, at times the gap becomes longer. So stay with whoever is there,” Aakash Chopra concluded.