Umran Malik replaces injured Mohammad Shami for Bangladesh ODIs

The J&K speedster has been roped in after the experienced right-arm seamer went down with a shoulder injury prior to the three-match series.

By Kashish Chadha Updated: Dec 3, 2022, 11:12 IST

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Umran Malik has been named replacement for injured Mohammad Shami prior to the three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, starting Sunday (December 4).

The BCCI confirmed the development on Saturday at the eve of the series opener in Dhaka, stating that Shami has gone down with a "shoulder injury".

The experienced fast-bowler is not in Bangladesh and is "currently under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team at the NCA" in Bangalore.

A PTI report had initially warned of Mohammad Shami's injury concern, with speculations that the pacer has hurt one of his hands in the lead up to the first ODI.

But the Indian board clarified in a formal release that the 32-year-old seamer has been sidelined with a shoulder injury instead, which also casts a doubt on his inclusion for the Test match leg of the Bangladesh trip, beginning December 14.

Malik comes in for injured Shami

Mohammad Shami had been given a break from the adjoined tour of New Zealand that was held less than a week after the end of the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.

Back then, one of the fast-bowlers roped in for the tour was Malik, who made his ODI debut during the series and now has the chance to build on those gains in Bangladesh.

Malik bowled an encouraging first spell in the first one-dayer in Auckland before a few expensive overs at the death reduced his overall figures to 2 for 66. He finished with 1/31 off his 5 overs in the final ODI in Christchurch.

A raw, unfinished product Malik maybe, but the decision-makers find his pace and hostility an exciting prospect to work around with in the year leading into the 2023 World Cup.

Why, the youngster was fast-tracked into the Indian set-up earlier in the year when he made his T20I debut on the short trip to Ireland in June.

Initially, the selectors weren't expected to name any replacement for Shami for the ODI leg of the tour, keeping in mind that Mohammed Siraj, Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur and Kuldeep Sen are already part of the squad and there are only three matches to be played.