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Mohammed Shami has shared a clip of him bowling at full throttle in the nets ahead of the England white-ball series and Champions Trophy.
Mohammed Shami bowls in the nets. (Screengrab/MdShami11)
As Indian team awaits with bated breath an update on the nature and severity of their premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah’s back injury, Mohammed Shami has shared a clip of him bowling in the nets, declaring himself fit to “take on the world”.
Shami has been regularly representing Bengal in domestic cricket ever since his competitive return in November last year. Despite proving his match fitness, the 34-year-old wasn’t considered for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy that India lost 1-3.
Shami last played for India in the final of the 2023 ODI World Cup before being sidelined for nearly a year with an ankle injury.
Bumrah ended up with back spasms during the fifth and final Test of India’s Australia tour that concluded last week. He was taken for scans midway through the contest and didn’t bowl in Australia’s second innings as they won by six wickets to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time after a decade.
As per reports, Bumrah will be assessed after returning to India and his recovery will be dictated by the severity of the injury. India are set to host England for a five-match T20I series followed by three ODIs before flying to Dubai next month to take part in the Champions Trophy 2025.
Shami underwent an ankle surgery in February last year and made his competitive return through Ranji Trophy in November. Despite taking part in domestic matches, he wasn’t given fitness clearance by the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. There were reports that the 34-year-old has developed swelling in his knee delaying his comeback. Ahead of the Boxing Day Test against Australia in December, the BCCI officially ruled Shami out of selection for the remaining two matches.
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri though says he would have taken Shami to Australia anyway, allowing the bowler to continue his rehab with the team.
“I would have kept him part of the team and made sure that his rehabilitation was done with the team,” Shastri told the ICC Review. “And then if we thought by the third Test match that no, this guy can’t play the rest of the series, I would let him go.”
