NEW DELHI: Fast-bowler
Mohammed Shami
's availability for India's upcoming Test series against
South Africa
hangs in the balance, with reports suggesting he may be officially ruled out due to an ankle injury.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had initially included Shami in the squad announced on November 30, but his participation was contingent on his fitness.
According to a report by Cricbuzz, Shami will not be part of the batch of players traveling to South Africa on Friday (December 15). The report states, "The last batch of players, including skipper
Rohit Sharma
, is scheduled to leave for Johannesburg on Friday, but the 33-year-old veteran pacer will not be among them."
The report further adds that key players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah,
Ravichandran Ashwin
, Navdeep Saini, and Harshit Rana are set to fly out to South Africa on Friday via Dubai.
While the selectors have not named a replacement for Shami yet, there is speculation that one of the pacers already in South Africa for various formats may be co-opted into the Test set-up. The selectors are currently assessing the options available.
Shami, who emerged as the leading wicket-taker in the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup, has been battling ankle pain. It is reported that he carried the workload during the tournament despite the pain, experiencing discomfort, particularly while landing on his right foot during the delivery.
India are gearing up for a crucial Test series against South Africa, with matches scheduled in Centurion from December 26-30 and in Cape Town from January 3-7, 2024.
This series marks India's second engagement in the 2023-2025 World Test Championship cycle, following their victory in the two-Test series against West Indies in July (1-0).
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The last time India played a Test series in South Africa was in December 2021-January 2022, where they won the first Test in Centurion. However, South Africa bounced back to secure victories in Johannesburg and Cape Town, ultimately claiming the series 2-1.
The upcoming series will be crucial for India as they seek their first-ever Test series win in South Africa.
(With inputs from IANS)
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