Ravi Shastri, the former head coach of India, firmly believes that having Mohammed Shami in the latter stages of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy could have changed the series outcome, which Australia clinched 3-1 after initially losing the first Test in Perth. Shami hasn't played international cricket since the ODI World Cup final in November 2023, but he made his return to competitive play in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal, sparking hopes for a late call-up to India's squad in Australia.

In November 2024, Shami bowled 43 overs in a Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh. He then participated in all nine games of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), where he also took part in extra bowling sessions to ramp up his bowling workload and get ready for the Test matches.

However, just three days before the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, with the series tied at 1-1, the BCCI announced that Shami would not be considered for the last two Tests in Australia.

His left knee has shown some slight swelling because of the extra strain from his bowling practice. This swelling is pretty normal, considering he’s been bowling more after a long break. According to the latest medical evaluation, the BCCI Medical Team has decided that his knee needs more time to gradually adjust to bowling loads. As a result, he’s not fit to play in the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as stated in an official release from BCCI.

Shastri expressed his surprise at India's decision. “Honestly, I was really taken aback by the media chatter about what’s going on with Mohammed Shami,” Shastri told ICC.

The former India all-rounder criticized the BCCI's medical team for not communicating clearly about Shami's recovery. “What’s the situation with his recovery? He’s been at the NCA for ages. Why isn’t there clear communication about his status? For a player of his caliber, I would have taken him to Australia,” he added..

Shastri mentioned that he would have taken Shami along to Australia

Shami's absence really weighed heavily on Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. Without a solid and experienced third seamer, India struggled to maintain pressure from both ends, especially during the last three Tests of the series.

Shastri mentioned that it would have been smarter to keep Shami with the team in Australia and evaluate his condition by having him bowl in the nets.

“I would have included him in the squad and ensured his rehab was done alongside the team. If by the third Test we realized he couldn't continue for the rest of the series, then I would have let him go. But I would have kept him around, monitored his progress with top physios, and even consulted international physios in Australia to see how he was doing. Keeping him in the loop would have been my approach,” Shastri said.

Read Also: BCCI's New Secretary Urged to Send Strong Message: Drop Kohli and Rohit

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON!