Senior fast bowler Mohammed Shami's participation in India's upcoming Test series against South Africa hangs in the balance due to an ankle injury. This uncertainty raises the possibility of him being officially ruled out from the tour.
During the squad announcement for the South Africa tour on November 30, Shami was named in the Test series lineup. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) clarified that Shami's inclusion depends on his fitness, as he is currently undergoing medical treatment.
According to a recent report on Cricbuzz, Shami is not set to travel to South Africa with the rest of the selected players for the Tests. The 33-year-old veteran pacer will not be among the group departing for Johannesburg on Friday (December 15).
The report mentions that players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, Navdeep Saini, and Harshit Rana will be flying to South Africa on Friday via Dubai. Currently, over 75 men's cricketers are on the South Africa tour, participating in T20Is, ODIs, Tests, and the India 'A' team.
While the selectors have not announced a replacement for Shami yet, it is believed that one of the pacers already in South Africa may be brought into the Test set-up, given the substantial presence of players for various formats.
The report further reveals that Shami, the leading wicket-taker in the 2023 Men's ODI World Cup, has been grappling with ankle pain. It is learned that he endured the workload of the tournament despite the pain and particularly experienced discomfort while landing on his right foot during the delivery.
India's two Tests against South Africa are scheduled to take place 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).
In the previous Test series in South Africa in December 2021-January 2022, India secured a win in the first Test in Centurion. However, South Africa bounced back, claiming victories in Johannesburg and Cape Town to ultimately win the series 2-1. This result intensified India's quest for their maiden Test series triumph in the country.
