Mohammed Shami was in exceptional form for India during the ODI World Cup last year, taking 23 wickets in seven matches and finishing as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. He also won the Purple Cap in the IPL. However, he has been sidelined with an injury since then. The 33-year-old fast bowler, who recently underwent ankle surgery, is uncertain about his return to international cricket but has confirmed he will play a few domestic matches first.
At a recent event in Kolkata, Shami revealed that he has resumed bowling at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and aims to make his comeback through domestic cricket. “It’s difficult to say when I will be back. I am trying hard, but hopefully, you will see me in Bengal colours before I don the India jersey again,” he said.
Shami plans to play two or three domestic matches for Bengal to prepare for his return. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar hinted that Shami might be back for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh in September.
India will face Bangladesh in two Tests at home, followed by a three-match Test series against New Zealand, before heading to Australia in November for a five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Reflecting on his injury, Shami admitted he didn’t anticipate its severity. “We never thought the injury would be this serious. The plan was to address it after the T20 World Cup because of the back-to-back IPL and ICC T20 mega events. It worsened during the ODI World Cup, and I felt it wasn’t right to risk playing on,” he said. “Even the doctors were surprised by the injury’s severity and the extended recovery time.”