WITH just few days left before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) picks its squad for the five-match Test series against England, it is learnt that the senior selection committee is likely to leave out ace pacer from the tour.
BCCI’s medical team has informed the Indian board that the 34-year-old pacer won’t be able to bowl longer spells. Chances of him playing all the five Test matches are bleak too, going ahead.
There were deliberations over taking Shami along with the Indian team and playing him in few games. However, with already informing the board that his body can’t take the toll of more than three Tests matches, the selection committee were known to be in a dilemma on whether to fly out with a similarly iffy bowler, who might only play few games. It hampers the planning of the Indian side too.
It is understood that selectors want fit bowlers flying with the Indian side, who can bowl longer spells if needed.
“Shami is bowling four overs in for but the board and selectors don’t know whether he can bowl more than 10 overs in a day. Test matches in England may demand longer spells from the pacers and we can’t take chances,” a source in the board informed.
Shami’s last Test match appearance came during the 2023 India vs Australia World Test Championship final at the Oval.
Shami’s possible omission could open up a slot for left-arm pacer or Haryana right arm seamer Anshul Kamboj, who has 74 wickets from 22 first class games. Arshdeep could be the dark horse especially given his county cricket experience last season where he represented Kent. The selection committee had already picked Kamboj for the India A squad due to travel to England.
The five-man committee is expected to meet in a few days when they will officially announce their new captain for Test cricket. had earlier reported that is a frontrunner to lead the Indian Test team going ahead.
It is learnt that Gill had a meeting with Indian team coach and chairman of selection committee Ajit Agarkar.
Shami had undergone ankle surgery in 2024 which halted his cricket for nearly a year. He made his comeback earlier this year through the T20 format and was later part of Champions Trophy too.
The Bengal pacer had missed key events for India, including last year’s T20 World Cup in Australia and the West Indies, and also the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia in recent months.
“I waited for an entire year and I worked very hard. There was a sense of fear even while running about what will happen or what will not happen. It’s very difficult for any player to get injured while he is in full flow. Then go to the NCA for rehabilitation and make a comeback. When you go through injuries, I feel you grow stronger as an athlete. Because you have to repeat a lot of things while being mentally strong,” Shami had told BCCI TV in an interview post his recovery.
