Will Shami recover in time for Australia Tests?

BCCI secretary Jay Shah said that the decision on pacer Mohammed Shami's participation in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia later this year will be taken after the selectors get his fitness report from National Cricket Academy.

World Test champions Australia will host India for a high-profile five-match Test series, starting in November.

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. He is on track to get back in the Indian team for the two-Test series against Bangladesh next month.

Shami is currently in the final stages of his rehabilitation at the NCA in Bengaluru. He resumed bowling last month for the first time since his surgery and has been gradually increasing his bowling workload.

"Shami playing the Australia series or not is a matter of his fitness and a decision will be taken after the NCA report," Shah told ANI.

Along with Jasprit Bumrah, Shami is one of India's preferred fast bowlers across formats.

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.

"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 do not know if that is his timeline for recovery, will have to ask the guys at the NCA about that," he had said.

Shami has a fine Test record in Australia, picking up 31 wickets in eight Tests at an average of 32.16, with the best figures of 6/56, including two five-wicket hauls.

Shah also confirmed that former India middle-order batting great V V S Laxman will continue as the head of NCA. Laxman's three-year tenure as the NCA chief ends in September but he has been asked to continue by the BCCI.