India hopes to have Shami fit in time for Bangladesh Tests: Report

NEW DELHI: Indian team is hoping that fast-bowler Mohammed Shami, who has been out of action since last year’s ODI World Cup, is fully fit in time for the two-match home Test series against Bangladesh starting from September 19 in Chennai.

Shami was the highest wicket-taker in the 2023 Men’s ODI World Cup, by picking 24 scalps in just seven games. It also included him taking 7-57 against New Zealand in the semi-final at Mumbai, with a five-for against the same team at Dharamshala and four-fer against England at Lucknow being other standout performances.

But Shami was kept out of action since then due to a right heel issue, causing him to miss South Africa away tour and home Tests against England, as well as IPL 2024. He then successfully underwent a surgery on February 26 this year, and has been at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru since then for his long rehabilitation process.

According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, Shami is currently in his final stages of rehab at the NCA and last month, he resumed bowling for the first time since his surgery. It added that Shami is understood to have slowly built up his bowling workload after being pain free.

“The selectors have been apprised of Shami's progress and a decision on whether he should play at least one of the Duleep Trophy matches, beginning on September 5 in Anantapur, to prove his fitness will be taken soon,” added the report.

Earlier this month, in the press conference before departing for the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka, chief selector Ajit Agarkar had said Shami had started to bowl and him playing India’s first Test against Bangladesh starting on September 19 in Chennai is the goal for him to make an international comeback.

"We more or less know who the guys are, there are some injuries at the moment and hope they will be back up. Shami has started to bowl which is a good sign. September 19 is the first Test and that was always the goal. I don't know if that is his timeline for recovery, will have to ask the guys at the NCA about that."

"There are so many Tests coming. We will need some depth. Bumrah, Shami, and Siraj have been around for a while, these are the obvious ones. But there will be some conversation around it. Got a lot of first-class cricket coming up so we can build guys up like that."

At an event in Kolkata last month, Shami had expressed that he would turn out for Bengal first before returning to the national team in his path to playing Test cricket again. Apart from India’s Tests against Bangladesh and New Zealand, the first half of Ranji Trophy is starting in October, followed by India ‘A’ going to play two first-class games in Australia, giving Shami ample chances to build his fitness for the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy.