MUMBAI: Right-arm pacer Mohammed Shami will not be considered for India’s remaining fourth and fifth Tests of the ongoing away series against Australia, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Monday.
The announcement came just days after India’s longer formats’ captain Rohit Sharma had inquired about pacer’s fitness and availability for the Australia series remainder.
"Shami bowled 43 overs in the Ranji Trophy match for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in November," the BCCI said in a statement. "Following this, he played in all nine games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where he also engaged in additional bowling sessions on the sidelines to build his bowling volume in order to get ready for the Test matches.
"However, his left knee has exhibited minor swelling due to increased joint loading from his bowling workload. The swelling is on the expected lines, owing to the increased bowling after a prolonged period.
"Based on the current medical assessment, the BCCI medical team has determined that his knee requires more time for controlled exposure to bowling loads. Consequently, he has not been deemed fit for consideration for the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy."
It is pertinent to mention that Shami has not represented India since the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 final in November last year.
The right-arm pacer underwent surgery for a heel injury in February. According to the BCCI, Shami had “completely recovered” from the heel injury and would “continue to undergo targeted strength and conditioning work under the guidance of the medical staff at BCCI's Centre of Excellence and build his bowling loads needed to meet the demands of the longest format of the game".
In addition, the 34-year-old was not picked in Bengal's squad for their first game of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy against Delhi on December 21.