Premier Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami is set to make his highly anticipated return to competitive cricket, representing Bengal in their Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh in Indore, starting Wednesday, as announced by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). Shami has been sidelined since November 19, 2023, following the World Cup final due to an ankle injury that required surgery. After intensive rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, Shami is now poised to demonstrate his match fitness.
CAB secretary Naresh Ojha expressed optimism over Shami’s return, emphasizing that his comeback is a significant boost for both Indian cricket and the Bengal team. “Shami will lead Bengal’s pace attack in the Elite Group C match, and his performance will be closely monitored by the Indian management in Australia,” Ojha said in a statement.
India’s pace attack for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy features relatively inexperienced players like Akash Deep, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Prasidh Krishna alongside senior bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Reserves include Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, and Khaleel Ahmed, though they have limited Test experience.
While there was speculation about Shami being included in the Indian squad for the Australia tour, captain Rohit Sharma dismissed the idea, indicating he did not want to field an “undercooked” veteran pacer. Shami played a pivotal role in India’s 2-1 Test series win in Australia in 2018-19, taking 16 wickets at an average of 26.18.
Focused on regaining top fitness, Shami underwent rigorous training at the National Cricket Academy and was observed by bowling coach Morne Morkel during a net session at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru after India’s Test against New Zealand. Shami expressed confidence in his recovery during a recent promotional event, saying he felt “100 per cent” fit.
The 34-year-old pacer had been impressive in the 2023 ODI World Cup, finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 24 wickets in seven matches at an average of 10.70. His comeback follows months of recovery from Achilles tendon surgery on his right leg, conducted in March.
