Mohammed Shami could return to Indian squad ahead of Adelaide Test If NCA provides green signal: Report

It has been reported that India’s gun fast bowler Mohammed Shami could join the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar series against Australia. Shami could join his teammates before the second pink ball Test match at Adelaide if he doesn’t complain of any further pain.

The ace pacer recently made his return to competitive cricket after 360 days as he took the field for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy clash against Madhya Pradesh. 

Shami returned with impressive figures of 4-54 in the 19 overs he bowled in the first innings. The experienced pacer accounted for Madhya Pradesh’s skipper Shubham Sharma, Saransh Jain, Kumar Kartikeya, and Kulwant Khejroliya.

Meanwhile, the veteran pacer last played for India in the final of the ODI World Cup and then underwent the knife for his ankle injury. 

Shami has all the experience under his belt and he is going to hold the key in the Australian conditions if he joins the team. The ace pacer had picked 16 wickets in four Test matches on the tour of 2018-19 to Australia when India won for the first time on Australian soil.

A BCCI source said, “Obviously, Shami was asked to play this game keeping in mind that the next round of Ranji Trophy will only start on January 23 after the Test season is over”.

“But the biggest test would be whether he again feels any pain after four days. If the NCA medical team green-lights his fitness, obviously he will join before the second Test,” the BCCI source added.

Meanwhile, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel has picked Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana as the five fast bowlers for the Australia tour.

The opening Test match between India and Australia will be played at Perth from November 22 onwards.