India vs Australia: Rohit Sharma in a massive spot of bother as another bowler gets on the brink of being ruled out

The Indian cricket team is currently gearing up to face New Zealand in a three-match Test series starting on October 16 at the M. Chinnawamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Mohammed Shami is already ruled out of the home Test series.

Mohammed Shami was not included in the squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against England after Bengal opted against playing the seasoned pacer in the first two games of the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25.

India's Test preparations are in jeopardy as Mohammed Shami and Prasidh Krishna face fresh injury setbacks

Mohammed Shami has been out of action since the 2023 ODI World Cup. The star pacer suffered an ankle injury during the ODI World Cup last year, and it required surgery and has kept him out of action since November 2023.

However, Mohammed Shami was expected to return for the upcoming Test series against the Kiwis, but now his return is set for the Australia tour.

It is being said that Mohammed Shami suffered another knee injury during his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.

This fresh blow ruled Shami out of the New Zealand Tests, putting him in doubt for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia as well. However, the BCCI has yet to make any comment on Shami's availability for the Australia tour.

In a further blow to the Rohit-led team ahead of the crucial Tests, Prasidh Krishna has also given a fresh injury scare to the Indian cricket team.

Prasidh Krishna had recently returned to action after an eight-month recovery from a quadriceps injury in the Duleep Trophy 2024, only to intensify the team’s headache.

Injury troubles mount for Rohit Sharma

According to Times Now, Prasidh Krishna was unable to take the field on Day 3 of the ongoing first game between Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25, raising doubt on his availability for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand at home.

However, the reason behind Prasidh Krishna’s absence from Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 match remains unclear, but reports hinted that the 28-year-old fast bowler felt discomfort while running on the opening day at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.

It is being said that the playing conditions at the Holkar Stadium were challenging, mainly after persistent rainfall made the outfield slippery, leading to the complete washout of Day 2’s play of the Ranji game between Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh.

The report also claimed that Prasidh Krishna is regarded as a promising talent by the Indian cricket management and is seen as a strong candidate for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 in Australia.

However, the decision to sit Krishna out the remainder of the match could be a precautionary measure to ensure he remains fit for future assignments.

Prasidh Krishna was named as the reserve player for the India vs New Zealand Tests

Notably, Krishna was named as one of the four traveling reserves for the India vs New Zealand Test series, along with Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Mayank Yadav.

The second Test between India and New Zealand will be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune from October 24.

The third and final Test is scheduled at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from November 1. Following these Tests, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team will travel to Australia for the much-awaited five-match Test series, starting on November 11 at the Optus Stadium in Perth.