India’s squad for the England Test tour is out. The squad brought new opportunities for the likes of Sai Sudharsan and Arshdeep Singh but it also raised questions about the future of some veterans.
One glaring omission was Mohammed Shami and his absence has now sparked serious speculation about whether his Test career has come to an end. Shami has not played red-ball cricket since an injury forced him out late last year.
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He returned for white-ball cricket and even played in India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign but the selectors remain unconvinced about his readiness for the demands of Test cricket.
Is this the end of Mohammed Shami's Test career?
A former India selector, quoted by PTI, believes the door may be closing on Shami’s Test career for good - especially if he is not being considered for major overseas tours.
"If Mohammed Shami isn’t available in Australia or England, why would the selectors pick him against West Indies and South Africa at home? They might as well use Akash Deep, Arshdeep, Harshit or Mukesh as Siraj or Bumrah’s partner. Shami’s body is ageing, and one has to accept that he is no longer the bowler he used to be" the ex-selector said.
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Why did the selectors leave Mohammed Shami out of the England tour?
India's chairman of selectors, Ajit Agarkar, confirmed that Shami had been aiming to return for the England series but suffered a setback in the past week. Medical assessments concluded he is not ready for the physical strain of bowling extended spells in Test matches.
"He has had a little bit of a setback... and got some MRIs done. We were hoping that he’d be available for some part of the series. But if he’s not fit, it’s very difficult to be waiting," Agarkar told reporters.
BCCI’s medical team assessed Shami in Lucknow and determined that he was not fit enough to handle a typical Test workload of 15-20 overs a day.
Can Mohammed Shami’s body handle the demands of Test cricket anymore?
Shami has been a pillar of India’s Test attack since his debut in 2013. He has taken 229 wickets in 64 matches.
But at 34 and with mounting injury concerns, his red-ball journey may be nearing its end - a tough call for a bowler who was once India’s go-to weapon overseas.