Star Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, who has been sidelined due to an injury since the 2023 ODI World Cup, has returned to bowling in the nets, marking a significant step towards his return to competitive cricket. Shami had been sidelined due to a right heel injury that required surgery, and he has since been under the careful supervision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The 33-year-old fast bowler underwent an operation on his Achilles tendon earlier this year, causing him to miss the home series against Australia, the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, and the ICC T20 World Cup.
Despite these setbacks, Shami is now preparing for his comeback and shared a video on Instagram of himself cautiously bowling in the training nets. Although he has recovered from the ankle injury, he has not yet resumed bowling at full intensity. Shami is working to regain his form and get medical clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) as he aims to return to competitive cricket. Shami captioned his post, “Vibing with the latest, grinding for the greatest. #shami #mdshami #mdshami11 #hardwork #practice.” Shami was India’s standout bowler in the 2023 ODI World Cup, taking 24 wickets in seven matches at an average of 10.70. Despite an ankle injury, he played a crucial role in India’s impressive performance during the ICC event hosted by India. However, Shami experienced stiffness in his ankle before the England series in January and was unable to recover in time.
Due to ongoing ankle pain, Shami withdrew from the South Africa series. India handed debuts to pacers Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep in the 2024 Test season. However, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh ensured that Shami’s absence was not felt much during the T20 World Cup 2024. Bumrah and Arshdeep collectively took an impressive 32 wickets in the tournament, helping India secure the trophy by defeating South Africa in the final. Hardik Pandya also made significant contributions with the ball, playing a key role in India’s triumph despite Shami’s absence from the pace attack.
India are set to travel to Sri Lanka later this month for a white-ball tour, which includes three T20Is and three ODIs. Mohammed Shami is unlikely to be included in either squad as he is still regaining his bowling pace and awaiting medical clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is expected to announce the squads for the Sri Lanka tour on Wednesday, July 17.