BCCI to drop Shami from England Tests; Agarkar unsure if pacer can bowl 10 overs a day: ‘We can’t take chances’ - Report

With just days to go before the Indian Test squad is named for the five-match series in England, it has been reported by the Indian Express that Mohammed Shami is likely to miss out. The 34-year-old pacer, who underwent ankle surgery earlier this year, has reportedly not fully recovered to bowl long spells and is not expected to feature in the selectors' plans for the demanding tour. Mohammed Shami during India's Test series against Sri Lanka in 2022(AP)

The BCCI’s medical team has informed the board that while Shami has returned to competitive cricket through the IPL, where he is bowling four-over spells for Sunrisers Hyderabad, his current workload doesn’t offer enough confidence in his ability to handle the rigours of red-ball cricket.

“Shami is bowling four overs in IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad but the board and selectors don’t know whether he can bowl more than 10 overs in a day. Test matches in England may demand longer spells from the pacers and we can’t take chances,” a board source told the newspaper.

Although there were internal deliberations over taking Shami and using him in selected matches, Jasprit Bumrah’s workload limitations posed Shami as an uncertain option. Reports have suggested that Bumrah told the team management that he wasn't prepared to undertake the workload of all five Tests, which was also a major reason behind his absence from the Test captaincy race.

The selectors are instead keen to travel with fully fit bowlers capable of handling sustained spells across potentially five gruelling Tests.

Arshdeep likely in

Shami’s last red-ball appearance came in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval. Since then, a lengthy recovery period and limited match fitness have pushed him down the pecking order.

His omission could open the door for emerging pacers such as left-armer Arshdeep Singh and Haryana’s Anshul Kamboj. Arshdeep, who played county cricket for Kent last year, is being seen as a dark horse, while Kamboj has already been picked for the India A squad bound for England.

Meanwhile, the upcoming squad announcement is also likely to include a leadership change. Shubman Gill is being widely viewed as the frontrunner to take over India’s red-ball captaincy. Gill has reportedly held discussions with head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar in recent days.

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