Mohammed Shami ready to join Team India squad in Australia? Contrasting reports emerge

Contrasting reports have emerged over Mohammed Shami’s availability for the later part of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. While Cricbuzz has claimed that the National Cricket Academy is not convinced about the senior pacer’s fitness, a report in the news agency PTI says that Shami is set to compete in the last two Tests of the ongoing series against Australia with his playing kit already headed Down Under.

As per Cricbuzz, Shami is yet to receive a fitness clearance from NCA, which is necessary for the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee to add him to the Indian squad Down Under as a last-minute selection, because the pacer’s exploits for Bengal haven’t convinced the concerned authority that the 34-year-old will be able to handle the rigours of Test cricket.

Shami continues to build fitness in domestic cricket

Shami had not played any form of competitive cricket for nearly a year after undergoing surgery on his ankle to repair a damaged Achilles Tendon in February, missing the IPL as well as India’s T20 World Cup triumph along the way.

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Shami made his return to competitive cricket in Bengal’s Ranji Trophy fixture against Madhya Pradesh last month, starring in his team’s thrilling 11-run victory with a seven-wicket match haul . Bengal had also included Shami for the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and the pacer has played every game so far, collecting two three-wicket hauls so far – both coming in winning causes.

Despite putting in some strong performances over the last one month, the Sports Science Wing of the Bengaluru-based NCA is yet to submit an all-clear report to the BCCI. An NCA team comprising national selector SS Das as well as head of the Sports Science Wing Nitin Patel and Strength and Conditioning trainer Nishanta Bardule had travelled to Rajkot to observe Shami during Bengal’s Mushtaq Ali matches.

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Shami is expected to feature in the Mushtaq Ali knockouts, in which Bengal are up against Chandigarh in the pre-quarterfinal at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium. He had recently been acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for Rs 10 crore in the IPL mega auction recently after spending three seasons with Gujarat Titans.

‘Shami will leave for Australia after Mushtaq Ali’

The report in PTI says that Shami getting clearance from NCA is a “matter of formality” and he should be seen playing for India in the last two Tests – at MCG (26-30 December) and SCG (3-7 January).

“Shami’s India kit has already been dispatched to Australia. He will complete Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 assignment and then leave,” the source told PTI.

Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla also confirmed that Shami is inching towards a return to Team India in Australia.

“Shami will be playing the pre-quarter final for us against Chandigarh. He will join us in Bengaluru by tomorrow. However, I am not sure if he will be available if we qualify for quarters or go the distance. Guess he will be fit and available for last two Australia Tests,” Bengal head coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla, who has had a good look at his premier bowler, told PTI.

“He has already shed around six kilograms of body weight. He has played seven T20 games in 13 days. If he plays pre-quarters it will be eight games in 16 days.

“Shami himself wanted to play fair amount of domestic cricket and inform NCA how his body reacts,” Shukla, a former ODI player, said.