New Delhi. Match-winning fast bowler Mohammed Shami can fly to Australia soon. Shami is bowling brilliantly in the return match. He is playing for Bengal in Ranji Trophy. Shami, who returned to competitive cricket after almost a year, took 4 wickets in the first innings in the match against Madhya Pradesh. He bowled 19 overs in the first innings. During this he cast 4 different spells. In which he took four wickets for 54 runs while keeping four overs maiden. Shami is seen in excellent form. He turned to domestic cricket to prove his fitness. Shami’s return may increase the problems of Australian captain Pat Cummins.
Shami dismissed Madhya Pradesh captain Shubham Sharma, all-rounder Saransh Jain and two tail-enders. Out of these four, three batsmen were bowled while one touched the bat and was caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. This is very good news for the Indian team. But the national selection committee will also see how he bowls in the second innings. And at the end of this match being played at Holkar Stadium in Indore, he does not feel any pain or swelling.
If he fulfills all the criteria then it is almost certain that he will join fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah before the second day night test. This Ranji Trophy match will end on 16 November. And he can join the team before the first Test which will start from November 22 in Perth. If Shami goes, he will get to play a two-day day-night practice match against Prime Minister’s XI. More than the wickets taken on Thursday, the team management and the national selection committee along with the BCCI’s sports science and medicine team wanted to see how their bodies were behaving.
Shami had undergone ankle surgery
Shami had not played any competitive match since the ODI World Cup final on November 19 last year. He had undergone ankle surgery. He was about to return for the three-Test series against New Zealand when the senior fast bowler suffered swelling in his knee, which delayed his return. It is understood that despite the announcement of the 18-member squad for Australia, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee and the team management will include Shami in the squad at the same time as Dr Nitin Patel, head of BCCI’s medical and sports science team. Will declare him fit.
Shami was asked to play Ranji match
A Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) source told PTI that national selection committee member Ajay Ratra along with Patel, the head of the NCA medical team, had come specifically to watch Shami’s bowling. Before the final decision is taken, ‘feedback’ regarding him will be sent to selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar, captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir. A BCCI source said, ‘Obviously Shami was asked to play because the next round of Ranji Trophy will start only on January 23 after the end of the Test season.’
Shami can join Team India before the second test
He said, ‘Therefore the selectors had only one match to check his fitness. He bowled 19 overs in as many spells and fielded most of the 57 overs. He has bowled 90 ‘dot’ balls. But he will have to bowl and field again in the second innings. Suppose he bowls 15 to 18 more overs in the second innings, then it will be a good number. But the biggest test will be whether he feels any pain again after four days. If the NCA medical team gives the green signal to his fitness then obviously he will join the team before the second Test. Shami has experience of playing in Australia. He can help the other bowlers by joining the team. Shami is a match winning bowler.
Tags: India vs Australia, Mohammed Shami
FIRST PUBLISHED: November 14, 2024, 20:04 IST