He was expected to play a few Ranji games before his India return but he has not been named in his state squad.
In a recent development coming in, it is now expected that a star India pacer will be unavailable for the upcoming three-match home India vs New Zealand Test series, slated to start from October 16.
Talismanic fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who was rehabbing from his ankle surgery was expected to play a couple of domestic matches in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 as a roadmap for his return to the India squad for the New Zealand Tests.
However, Shami has not been included in the Bengal Ranji squad and that has sparked speculations over his fitness ahead of the NZ Tests.
Notably, there has been no official update on Shami’s fitness, which forces everyone to believe that he is not completely match-fit. As things stand, it seems likely that he may end up missing the upcoming Test series.
Though it would be a significant blow for the team ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, it could also allow for other players to step up. Akash Deep and Mayank Yadav might be considered if Shami is unable to play.
Shami, who last featured in the 2023 ODI World Cup final, also missed the IPL 2024 and India’s successful campaign at the T20 World Cup 2024.
Meanwhile, Shami had expressed his interest in playing domestic cricket to assess his fitness before making international return.
“If I need to play domestic cricket to test my fitness, I will,” Shami had stated.
Speaking about the Indian team, the Men in Blue are currently playing a series against Bangladesh.
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After displaying an ultra-aggressive approach and registering a 2-0 clean sweep in the Test series, the hosts currently lead the three-match T20I leg 1-0.
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