The BCCI on Monday deemed Mohammed Shami unfit for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) despite ruling him completely fit from his heel problem. Shami, who last played for India during the ODI World Cup final at home in 2023, has been out of action for a long period before making his comeback to competitive cricket a few months back in the Ranji Trophy against Madhya Pradesh. In the medical update that the BCCI released on Monday, it said that Shami has completely recovered from this heel problem but his left knee exhibited minor swelling due to increased joint loading from his bowling workload.
The swelling was on the expected lines, owing to the increased bowling after a prolonged period. “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,” it said. 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.
Shami was not picked in the 18-man squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to a knee injury concern which came to light after his successful recovery from a heel injury, which put him on the sidelines for close to a year. The senior fast bowler's fitness was monitored by the BCCI medical team and the senior selection committee as he played domestic cricket. Earlier, Rohit Sharma humorously sidestepped questions about the pacer and stated that only the NCA could provide clarity on his fitness. Rohit emphasised that the NCA would need to certify Shami’s readiness before any decision could be made about his inclusion in the Test squad.
