India’s Test and ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, shared an update on star fast bowler Mohammed Shami’s injury on Tuesday, just before the Test series against New Zealand, which is set to begin on Thursday in Bengaluru. Rohit expressed uncertainty over Shami’s availability for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, stressing the team’s cautious approach to his recovery.
Concerns About Shami’s Fitness for Australia
Rohit emphasized that the team is reluctant to risk Shami’s participation in the Test series due to ongoing swelling in his knees, which has slowed down his recovery process. Shami has been sidelined since the 2023 ODI World Cup, where he sustained an ankle injury. His recovery has been further hampered by the knee swelling.
“To be honest, it is difficult to make a call on him for the Australia series. He had a setback with swelling in his knees, which delayed his recovery. He is currently at the NCA with doctors and physios. We don’t want to bring an undercooked Shami to Australia. We are keeping our fingers crossed,” Rohit explained.
Focus on Shami’s Full Recovery
Rohit underscored the importance of Shami making a full recovery before rejoining the national team. According to the captain, rushing him back into action could be detrimental, particularly for a fast bowler who has already missed a significant amount of cricket.
“He was in the process of getting fit, getting close to 100 per cent, but the swelling in his knee set him back a little bit in his recovery. So, he had to start again. Right now, he’s at the NCA, working with the physios and the doctors,” Rohit said.
Team Management’s Priorities
Rohit reiterated that the team management’s top priority is to ensure Shami is completely fit before being considered for selection. Bringing him back prematurely, especially in a demanding series like the one against Australia, would not be the right approach, the captain noted.
“We want him to be 100 per cent fit. Bringing an undercooked Shami to Australia would not be the right decision for us. It is quite tough for a fast bowler, having missed so much cricket, to suddenly come out and be at his best. It is not ideal,” Rohit added.
“We want to give him enough time to recover. The physios, the trainers, the doctors have set a roadmap for him,” he further stated.
Shami’s Return and Future Plans
Shami is expected to play in a few practice matches to regain match fitness before making his return to international cricket. Rohit indicated that the team will assess his condition after the New Zealand series to determine when he will be ready to rejoin the squad for the Australia tour.
“We will assess his progress after the New Zealand series and then decide at what stage of the Australia series he will be fit,” Rohit concluded.
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