Mohammed Shami has made a sensational return to competitive cricket with seven wickets in a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh. Shami underwent knee surgery, which has kept him out of the Indian team since the 2023 ODI World Cup, as he recently missed out on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy squad due to a lack of match fitness. However, after bowling 19 and 24.2 overs across two innings in the Ranji Trophy, Shami gave a final audition to make a last-minute entry into the squad.

Shami's return to domestic cricket marks an important step in his comeback journey, but former India cricketer Aakash Chopra suggested it would be too much to ask.

"The Indian selectors are very keen to send Mohammed Shami to Australia alongside Rohit Sharma. However, it's also been heard that the Indian team wants him to play a little more cricket because one match in a year and suddenly the trip to Australia, straightaway a Test match, that can actually be a little too much to ask," Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

Chopra termed Shami's current situation 'undercooked' and said everyone wants him to team up with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj in Australia, but he is not ready for it after playing just one match.

"Mohammed Shami played one match. We couldn't see much of his bowling because that match wasn't getting streamed. We did see the wickets. I will say he is undercooked. You and I want Shami to be there because Bumrah, Shami and Siraj - there is a different ring to it. Bumrah, Siraj and Akash Deep/Prasidh Krishna - you see a little lack of experience there," he observed.

‘Pushing Shami so quickly into Test cricket will be questionable’

Meanwhile, if included in the squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Shami's experience would be invaluable, particularly given India's inexperienced pace attack. The bowling line-up features two senior pacers, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, adding to it promising talents such as Harshit Rana, Prasidh Krishna, all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Akash Deep.

"However, pushing Shami so quickly into Test cricket will be questionable because firstly he hasn't played any cricket for one year. If you play a match after one year, and suddenly you say that he should be played a Test match, that won't be fair," he added.

The former cricketer-turned-commentator advised chief selector Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir to stick with the original plan and not make hasty decisions regarding Mohammed Shami.

"Let Shami play a little more. We want him to quickly play for India again but if you are too hasty, at times the gap becomes longer. So stay with whoever is there," Chopra elaborated.

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