The injury lay-off of India's star pacer Mohammed Shami continues to get extended. The 33-year-old, who last played for the country in the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia in November, will not be able to take part in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League. Shami is the seam-bowling spearhead of IPL franchise Gujarat Titans. (More Cricket News)
The seamer is yet to recover from his left ankle injury, for which he will undergo a surgery in the United Kingdom, a Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) source told PTI on Thursday, February 22.
"Shami was in London in last week of January to take special ankle injections and he was told that after three weeks, he can start light running and take it from thereon. But the injection hasn't worked and now the only option left is surgery. He will shortly leave for UK for surgery. IPL seems out of question," BCCI source was quoted as saying in a PTI report.
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Shami had problems with his landing even during the World Cup last year but he didn't let that affect his performance, architecting the hosts' fabulous campaign with 24 wickets and playing through pain. He was recently conferred with the Arjuna Award for his consistently excellent contributions to the men's cricket team.
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The National Cricket Academy had worked out an injury rehabilitation management programme for Shami, but the pacer is yet to return to peak fitness.
The latest development also casts a shadow on his availability for India's Test matches at home against Bangladesh and New Zealand (in October and November). His target could be the marquee away red-ball series against Australia.
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The source added that NCA's rehab approach has not worked well for the man from Amroha. "Shami should have gone directly for surgery and that should have been NCA's call. Just two months of rest and injections wouldn't have worked well and that's what has happened. He is an asset and the Indian team would need him in Australia," the source said.
Shami has 229 Test, 195 ODI and 24 T20I wickets in his decade-long career.
(With PTI inputs)
