BCCI officially confirms Mohammed Shami’s career in jeopardy, reveals R Ashwin’s Test successor

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has issued a concerning update on the premier pacer Mohammed Shami's fitness as he battles injury concerns.

BCCI confirmed that Mohammed Shami has officially been ruled out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 due to the swelling in his knee and his participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy will depend on the progress he makes.

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Mohammed Shami has been giving it all to make India comeback

Mohammed Shami, who was out of action since November 2023 due to an Achilles tendon injury, made his return to cricket during the Ranji Trophy match between Bengal and Madhya Pradesh on November 13. He picked 7 wickets across two innings without facing any issues.

After that, he played all nine games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). In all those matches, Shami delivered decent performances and played a key role in the victories of his team.

Following his participation in the Ranji Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, some reports emerged claiming that the BCCI had planned to send him to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with his kit being sent Down Under in advance.

However, when India skipper Rohit Sharma was asked about the pacer, he stated that Shami had faced some knee issues and urged the National Cricket Academy to provide a correct update on his return.

Mohammed Shami will continue to undergo targeted strength and conditioning work - BCCI

On December 23, the BCCI provided an official update on Mohammed Shami. The governing body stated that the pacer has recovered from his heel issue, but after an increase in his workload, he has experienced swelling on his left knee.

BCCI added that the fresh knee setback of Mohammed Shami rules him out of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 and he will continue to undergo targeted strength and conditioning work under BCCI's medical team.

"The BCCI Medical Team at the Centre of Excellence has been working closely with Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami on his recovery and rehabilitation after his right heel surgery. Shami has completely recovered from this heel problem.

"However, his left knee has exhibited minor swelling due to increased joint loading from his bowling workload. The swelling is on the expected lines, owing to the increased bowling after a prolonged period," the BCCI wrote.

"Based on the current medical assessment, the BCCI Medical Team has determined that his knee requires more time for controlled exposure to bowling loads. Consequently, he has not been deemed fit for consideration for the remaining two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

"Shami will continue to undergo targeted strength and conditioning work under the guidance of the medical staff at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence and build his bowling loads needed to meet the demands of the longest format of the game. His participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy will depend on the progress of his knee," the BCCI added.

Ravichandran Ashwin's Test replacement finalized

In another major news, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee has finalised the replacement of Ravichandran Ashwin in Test cricket after the superstar spinner shocked the cricket world with his retirement announcement post-Gabba Test.

The off-spinner Tanush Kotian has been added to India’s Test squad for the remainder of the series. Kotian, a spinner from Mumbai, has featured in 33 first-class matches, taking 101 wickets at an average of 25.70, and has scored two centuries and 13 half-centuries with the bat.

Tanush Kotian won the Player of the Tournament award in Mumbai's Ranji Trophy 2023-24 triumph and recently participated in the India A vs Australia A match Down Under.

India’s squad for fourth and fifth Tests: Rohit Sharma (C), Jasprit Bumrah (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Devdutt Padikkal, Tanush Kotian