Former head coach Ravi Shastri believes returning fast-bowler Mohammed Shami will make a huge difference to the team if he can return quickly for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia.
After spending 360 days on layoff from competitive cricketing activity, owing to an injury which required surgery to his Achilles tendon, Shami today returned to competitive action for Bengal in their ongoing Ranji Trophy clash against Madhya Pradesh at Holkar Stadium here.
He bowled 19 overs and took 4/54 to hint that he is gradually coming back to his rhythm. "If anything, I would have wanted a little more support for Jasprit (Bumrah) in the pace-bowling attack. So the quicker Mohammed Shami gets fit and is on a flight, I think it's better for India," said Shastri on the ICC Review show.
Assuming all goes well, Shami shall be present in the second half of India's tour for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy that begins on November 22 in Perth, and will feature matches in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney until January 7, 2025.
The Indian team will need to win four of the five Tests in Australia to have a pretty good chance at securing their spot in a third straight World Test Championship final. Shami has so far claimed 229 wickets in 64 Tests, and has confirmed himself as a more-than-a-consistent member of the fast-bowling group for India, earning the team huge gains through home games as well as overseas games.
Shami was instrumental in India's historic first-ever Test series win on Australian soil in 2018/19 when he claimed 16 wickets in four matches at 26.18, and the visitors emerged 2-1 victors. He didn't feature in another game after the opening Test in Adelaide in the 2020/21 tour -- fractured his right forearm in Adelaide -- but the hosts still went on to record a memorable 2-1 win.
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