The beleaguered Indian team may get the services of Mohammed Shami during the challenging tour of Australia as the experienced fast bowler made a spectacular comeback from injury by taking four wickets in a Ranji Trophy match on Thursday. Shami, playing his first red-ball match in more than a year, starred for Bengal in Madhya Pradesh’s first innings, bowling four spells in 57 overs and taking four wickets for 54 runs with four maidens in 19 overs.
Two-day day-night practice match will be played
He dismissed Madhya Pradesh captain Shubham Sharma, all-rounder Saransh Jain and two tail-enders. Out of these four batsmen, three were bowled while one touched the bat and was caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. This is very good news for the Indian team, but the national selection committee will also see how he bowls in the second innings and whether he has any pain or swelling at the end of the match at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. If he fulfills all the criteria then it is almost certain that he will join fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah before the second day-night Test. The Ranji Trophy matches will end on November 16 and he could join the team before the first Test starting in Perth from November 22.
he had ankle surgery
If Shami recovers, he will get a chance to play a two-day day-night practice match against Prime Minister’s XI. More than the wickets taken on Thursday, the team management and the national selection committee wanted to see how the Indian Cricket Board’s sports science and medical team was behaving.
The team management will include Shami in the team at the same time.
Shami has not played any competitive match since the ODI World Cup final on November 19 last year. He had ankle surgery. He was due to return for the three-Test series against New Zealand when the senior fast bowler suffered swelling in his knee, delaying his return.
It is believed that even though the 18-member squad for Australia has been announced, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee and the team management will include Shami in the squad at the same time as the BCCI’s medical and sports science team. Chief Dr. Nitin Patel. Will declare it fit.
