 "After multiple reports that Mohammed Shami could join Team India in Australia, he was eventually ruled out. Image: PTI")
Ravi Shastri tore into the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for the way Mohammed Shami’s injury was managed. Shami missed the entire Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 which the Indian cricket team lost 3-1 to Australia . The 34-year-old pacer last played for India in the 2023 ODI World Cup and underwent ankle surgery in early 2024 . However, he failed to recover in time for the Australia tour.
He made a return to competitive cricket with the Ranji Trophy ahead of India vs Australia Test series and also participated in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, raising hopes that he could become available for at least the last two Tests of the five-match series. However, Shami was eventually ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on 23 December due to swelling in his left knee .
While injuries and relapse of fitness issues are unavoidable, the most intriguing part was how BCCI always kept his recovery a secret. Even India captain Rohit Sharm was frustrated by the lack of updates. “About Shami, I think it’s high time somebody from NCA talks about him, where he is rehabbing,” Rohit said a few days before Shami was officially ruled out of the last two matches.
Shastri wanted Shami to be part of Team India
Former India coach Ravi Shastri thinks the pacer could have been a huge help in Australia. He shares Rohit’s view that he was left “surprised” by the lack of communication surrounding Shami’s recovery.
“To be honest, I was very surprised with the communication going on in the media as to what exactly happened to Mohammed Shami," Shastri said on The ICC Review. “Where is he when it comes to recovery?”
Impact Shorts
View All“He’s been sitting in the NCA for I don’t know how long. Why can’t proper communication come out on where he stands? A player of his ability, I would have brought him to Australia,” he added.
Shastri added that he would have got Shami to Australia with the rest of the team, allowing him to rehab under the experts.
“I would have kept him part of the team and made sure that his rehabilitation was done with the team. And then if we thought by the third Test match that no, this guy can’t play the rest of the series, I would let him go.
“But I would have brought him with the team, kept him, monitored him with the best of the physios and best of the advice even from international physios who are in Australia and seeing how he went. But I would have kept him in the mix,” Shastri said.
‘Shami could have been the difference’
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting shared the same sentiment and said that Shami could have been the difference.
“I was really surprised when he wasn’t flown out even halfway through the series, two Test matches in. India’s make-up obviously had Nitish Reddy there. So you had another seam bowling all-rounder anyway.
“So if Shami, even if he wasn’t fully fit, if he had to bowl fewer overs in a day, you had a backup seam bowling option to help him out and I think he could have been the difference,” Ponting told The ICC Review.
Shastri added that Shami’s absence resulted in a lesser experienced pace attack for India while Jasprit Bumrah was not supported well.
“It got so tight at 1-1 going into Melbourne. You just needed that experience and support. For all you know, he might have raised the bar as well. And it would have been the two guys there (Bumrah and Shami).
“Pat Cummins couldn’t have done it on his own; Scotty Boland had to step in. So you needed a bowler of his experience. You know, as hard as Mohammed Siraj tried, you needed Shami’s experience there," said Shastri.
The 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was Australia’s first win over India since 2014-15.