Jasprit Bumrah Updates on Mohammed Shami Possible Return for Border-Gavaskar Trophy

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Team India's stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah has provided an encouraging update on Mohammed Shami's potential return to the Test squad during the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia. Shami has been sidelined with an ankle injury since the 2023 ODI World Cup final.

He recently made a strong comeback in domestic cricket. Speaking at a pre-match press conference ahead of the series opener in Perth, Bumrah highlighted Shami's importance to the team and the management's focus on monitoring his progress.

"Shami bhai has started to play cricket, and obviously, he is an integral part of this team," Bumrah said. "I'm sure the management is also keeping a keen eye on him. Hopefully, things fall in place, and you might see him here as well."

The seasoned pacer returned to action in the Ranji Trophy last week, representing Bengal against Madhya Pradesh. Shami impressed in his comeback match, claiming seven wickets across two innings with trademark pace and accuracy.

His stellar performance has sparked optimism about his fitness and readiness to rejoin the national team during the series. Reports suggest that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is keen to bring Shami back into the Test squad.

That is, only if he clears further fitness evaluations. If selected, Shami could bolster India's pace attack for the later matches in the five-Test series, which spans key venues like Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.

Bumrah, who is captaining the side in Rohit Sharma's absence, emphasized Shami's value in the Test setup. Bowling coach Morne Morkel also acknowledged Shami's contributions, calling him a crucial asset during India's recent home Test series against New Zealand.

India is looking to bounce back after a disappointing home Test series loss to New Zealand and aims to continue their dominance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having won the last two series on Australian soil. The first Test begins on November 22 at Perth's Optus Stadium.