No, all hope is not lost for the India Cricket Team. Ace pacer Mohammed Shami can still make a comeback for Team India in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. However, for that, Shami needs to show the team management and the selectors that is 100% fit during the Ranji Trophy fourth-round clash.
The BCCI announced the squad for the IND vs AUS Test series sans Mohammed Shami. Reports claimed that Shami would get selected after playing a couple of Ranji Trophy matches. But the management decided not to rush Shami and let the ace pacer recover in time.
Chance still open for Mohammed Shami in BGT
With no Shami in the team, India loaded the squad with a plethora of pacers as Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy got fas-tracked and got their Test team call-ups. But now, Harshit Rana has left the India squad to be with the Delhi team to play the Ranji Trophy after the DDCA requested the BCCI.
As things stand, Mohammed Shami will make his return to the field for the first time since the ODI World Cup 2023 final when Bengal takes on Karnataka in the fourth-round Ranji Trophy clash. Should he perform well in the game, or even in the next domestic game, then Shami can take the flight to Australia.
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“A call on Mohammed Shami’s inclusion will be taken after the pacer proves his fitness in the Ranji Trophy. As reported earlier, Shami is expected to play Bengal’s fourth round match against Karnataka in Bengaluru in the first week of November after Diwali,” a source told The Indian Express.
Eitherway, if that happens, Shami won’t be playing the first two Test matches in the land of Down Under. Bengal take on Karnataka on 6th November at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium and then against Madhya Pradesh on 13th November. Meanwhile, the India Cricket Team is slated to fly to Australia on 10th November with the Perth Test starting on 22nd.
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