Mohammed Shami will not the inducted into the Indian cricket squad for the remaining two Tests of the Border Gavaskar trophy, the BCCI confirmed on Monday. In a press release, the BCCI revealed that Shami has recovered completely from his heel problem. However, his left knee showed swelling after he played in the Ranji Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy. Hence, the BCCI concluded that his ‘knee requires more time for controlled exposure to bowling loads’ and thus will not be picked for the last two Tests of the Border Gavaskar Trophy, which is currently tied at 1-1 after the first three Tests.
“The BCCI Medical Team at the Centre of Excellence has been working closely with Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami on his recovery and rehabilitation after his right heel surgery. Shami has completely recovered from this heel problem,” the BCCI said in a statement.
Shami bowled 43 overs in the Ranji Trophy match for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in November. Following this, he played in all nine games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), where he also engaged in additional bowling sessions on the sidelines to build his bowling volume in order to get ready for the Test matches.
“However, his left knee has exhibited minor swelling due to increased joint loading from his bowling workload. The swelling is on the expected lines, owing to the increased bowling after a prolonged period,” the BCCI release stated.
“Based on the current medical assessment, the BCCI Medical Team has determined that his knee requires more time for controlled exposure to bowling loads. Consequently, he has not been deemed fit for consideration for the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
“Shami will continue to undergo targeted strength and conditioning work under the guidance of the medical staff at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence and build his bowling loads needed to meet the demands of the longest format of the game. His participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy will depend on the progress of his knee.”