Mohammed Shami is set to spend more time on the sidelines with the senior India pacer getting ruled out of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) due to injury. The latest development was reported by news agency PTI citing an unnamed BCCI official as the source.
The Gujarat Titans pacer has been out of action since the ICC World Cup, where he finished the highest wicket-taker with 24 wickets to his name in seven appearances. Shami had picked up an ankle injury during the tournament, but chose to put up a brave face and play on. It was only after the tournament was over and India finished runners-up after a defeat against Australia in the final that he broke news of the injury.
Shami, who was conferred the Arjuna Award during the National Sports Awards in January, has since missed the tour of South Africa as well as the ongoing five-Test series against England, and will now watch his GT teammates attempt to win a second title in three editions without him.
Shami will reportedly undergo surgery on the injured ankle soon, which will force him to miss several months’ worth of cricketing action.
“Shami was in London in last week of January to take special ankle injections and he was told that after three weeks, he can start light running and take it from thereon.
“But the injection hasn’t worked and now the only option left is surgery. He will shortly leave for UK for surgery. IPL seems out of question,” a senior BCCI source said on the condition of anonymity.
Impact Shorts
View AllThe development raises a question mark about the injury rehabilitation management programme planned by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) for Shami.
Now it is highly unlikely that the pace bowling artist would be able to make a comeback before India’s Test matches at home against Bangladesh and New Zealand (October November).
His target could be the marquee away series against Australia.
People in the know of things believe that the NCA’s conservative line of thinking has not worked in Shami’s case.
“Shami should have gone directly for surgery and that should have been NCA’s call. Just two months of rest and injections wouldn’t have worked well and that’s what has happened. He is an asset and the Indian team would need him in Australia,” the source said.
With PTI inputs