Rohit Sharma, Gautam Gambhir Face Setback After New Zealand Series Loss Due to Star's Injury
Shami had expressed confidence about his condition, stating, "I had been bowling with half a run-up on and off since I can't put too much stress on my body. So, we decided that I would bowl properly, and I gave my 100%. It felt great, and the results are good.
The Indian cricket team is grappling with another significant setback following their disappointing 3-0 series defeat against New Zealand at home. As they prepare for their upcoming tour of Australia, the absence of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami has emerged as a critical concern. Shami, who had been anticipated to play in the Ranji Trophy to regain fitness ahead of the tour, has not been included in the Bengal squad for the next two rounds against Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, delaying his return to competitive cricket.
Initially, there were hopes that Shami would participate in the Ranji Trophy matches to assess his fitness after recently bowing at full intensity in practice sessions, albeit with a bandage on his operated leg. Reports from news agency PTI confirmed that Shami's competitive return has been further postponed, as he was omitted from the squad for Bengal's upcoming fixtures. Bengal will face Karnataka at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru and then travel to Indore to play Madhya Pradesh.
Shami had expressed confidence about his condition, stating, "I had been bowling with half a run-up on and off since I can't put too much stress on my body. So, we decided that I would bowl properly, and I gave my 100%. It felt great, and the results are good. Hopefully, I'll be back on track soon." However, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma echoed concerns about taking an underprepared Shami to Australia, emphasizing the need for him to be fully fit before making the trip.
In addition to Shami, Bengal's lineup will also miss key players such as opener Abhimanyu Easwaran, wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel, and pacer Mukesh Kumar, all of whom are currently with the India A squad in Australia. Pacer Akash Deep, who recently participated in the New Zealand series, has also not been named in the state squad. Notably, veteran wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha has been included for these matches, despite announcing his retirement from cricket after the current domestic season.
The ongoing developments have heightened scrutiny on the Indian team's preparations and their performance, especially after their recent home series defeat, which marked a worrying trend for the Rohit Sharma-led side.
