Mohammed Shami’s Viral Apology Post Over India Squad Snub for Australia Tour After NZ Series Loss

India's fast bowler Mohammed Shami took to social media on Saturday to break his silence about being left out of the Indian squad for the upcoming Test tour of Australia, part of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. Shami’s statement came just hours after India faced a surprising defeat in a Test series against New Zealand, ending their remarkable 18-series winning streak at home, which had remained unbroken since 2013.

The 33-year-old pacer has been sidelined since he suffered a severe ankle injury during the 2023 ODI World Cup final last November. After undergoing surgery in February, Shami has spent months recovering and rehabilitating at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The injury and surgery have kept him off the field longer than anticipated, and while he’s reportedly on the path to recovery, it wasn’t fast enough for him to make the cut for the Australian tour.

Shami recently revealed that he is now pain-free, sharing his progress with fans. However, BCCI selectors, alongside India’s management, chose not to rush his return. India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, explained that the team preferred to let Shami recover fully rather than risk further complications. In his absence, selectors focused on fielding a fully-fit pace lineup for the critical series against Australia.

On Saturday, Shami posted a heartfelt video on Instagram, documenting his rehabilitation journey. In his message, he apologized to the BCCI and Indian fans for missing out on a return to international cricket. Shami expressed his disappointment at not being able to join his teammates for the upcoming series but promised to return stronger and hoped to make a comeback soon.