Fit-again Shami nears India comeback

Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami is making significant strides in his recovery from an ankle injury that has kept him out of cricket since the ODI World Cup last November.

The expectation is that he will be ready to participate in India's home season, starting with a Test series against Bangladesh in September.

The selectors have been updated on 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 made soon.

Shami is currently in the final stages of his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

He resumed bowling last month for the first time since his surgery and has been gradually increasing his bowling workload, reporting no pain.

Prior to India's departure for the tour of Sri Lanka in July, chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed Shami has started bowling and indicated that the first Test against Bangladesh starting on September 19 in Chennai would be the goal for his comeback.

Ajit Agarkar was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo, "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."

Agarkar also emphasised the importance of depth in the fast bowling department given the packed Test schedule ahead.

He said, "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."

This underscores the need for a robust pool of fast bowlers who can be rotated to manage workloads and injuries.

Late last month in Kolkata, Shami expressed a desire to first play for Bengal before making his return to the national team. He also participated informally in motivational and fitness sessions with state players.

Even if Shami misses some or all of India's home Tests, which include two against Bangladesh and three against New Zealand, he has ample time to regain his bowling rhythm for the tour of Australia.
The team will depart shortly after the third Test against New Zealand ends on November 5. Additionally, the Ranji Trophy begins in October, and India's A team will play two first-class games in Australia from October 31, providing Shami with numerous opportunities to build his form.

Shami's ankle injury, which became apparent soon after the 2023 ODI World Cup, was initially considered minor. However, continuous swelling led to the decision for surgery, causing him to miss the home Tests against England in February-March and the IPL 2024 for Gujarat Titans.

Shami was instrumental in India's journey to the final of the ODI World Cup, taking 24 wickets in seven games at an average of 10.70 and a strike rate of 12.20.

As he nears full recovery, his return will be a significant boost for India's seam attack heading into a busy home season and the tour of Australia.