India have kept Mohammed Shami’s visa and kit ready. The BCCI are awaiting a green signal from NCA to fly the pacer to Australia. There is still no clarity on Mohammed Shami’s availability for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. The Indian team management is reportedly keen on flying Shami to Australia as soon as possible, but the the National Cricket Academy (NCA) is yet to give an all-clear report to the veteran seamer. Shami, who underwent surgery on his ankle, suffered a knee injury during the recovery process that delayed his return. He made a successful comeback to competitive cricket for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy. In the one four-day match that he played, the right-arm seamer picked up seven wickets.
The 34-year-old then led the Bengal pace attack in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy T20 tournament, picking up 8 wickets in seven matches at a 7.67 economy to reach the knockouts. While the 64-Test veteran has looked in the matches that he has played, the NCA medical team is in no hurry to send him to Australia.
The Indian team in Australia, meanwhile, is ready to welcome Shami back. The visa formalities are done and they have already prepared his kit. All they need is the green signal from the NCA. “The selection committee is waiting for the NCA’s fitness clearance report on Shami. He travelled to Bengaluru to give a fitness test. He played the Ranji Trophy as well as the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20s, where he looked good. His kit is also ready. We are just waiting for the approval from the NCA,” a BCCI official.
India need Shami in Australia
Team India’s desperation to have Shami back was understandable as the pace attack struggled in the ongoing pink-ball Test against Australia in Adelaide. Jasprit Bumrah was the only one who looked like picking up a wicket every time he came on to bowl. That added a lot of pressure on India’s pace spearhead, who suffered a minor injury scare on Day 2 of the Test. Mohammed Siraj looked good in patches but the backup pacers Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy lacked control and venom.
Travis Head took advantage of the weakness in India’s pace attack, hitting a host of boundaries off Rana
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri expressed concerns over India’s pace attack and said that the side will only be boosted by Shami’s return to the squad for the remaining three Tests. “The quicker he (Shami) reaches here, the better,” Ravi Shastri said during commentary on Saturday. Shami last played for India in the ODI World Cup final against Australia in November at home. His last Test was against Australia in the World Test Championship final in June last year.
There is little gap between the day-night Test and the third Test in Brisbane, which starts on December 14. Realistically, it seems impossible for Shami to join the Indian squad before the Brisbane Test but if he manages to convince the NCA medial staff headed by Nitin Patel and member of India’s selection committee Shib Sundar Das by clearing the necessary fitness tests ,then there is a possibility of Shami being available for the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne.
