Mohammed Shami Injury Scare Raises Concerns Ahead of Potential India Comeback

Add as a preferred source on Google

Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami suffered an injury scare during Bengal's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh on Friday, November 29. The match was held at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Saurashtra.

It saw Shami grabbing his lower back in pain while attempting to stop the ball during the penultimate over. According to Sportstar, Shami received on-field medical attention, led by Nitin Patel, head of the Centre of Excellence's medical panel.

Patel had traveled to monitor Shami's fitness closely. Despite the scare, Shami resumed bowling and completed his over. However, Bengal ultimately fell short, losing the match by six wickets.

This incident has reignited concerns over Shami's fitness, particularly as he is being considered for a return to India's squad for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia. He recently came back from a year-long hiatus.

The hiatus was due to an ankle injury and foot surgery, the pacer has been working to regain his form. His comeback began with a standout performance in the Ranji Trophy, where he picked up seven wickets in an elite Group C match against Madhya Pradesh.

In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Shami has had mixed results, including a stellar 3/21 against Hyderabad but struggled in other games, including conceding 38 runs without taking a wicket against Madhya Pradesh.

The injury scare has raised doubts about Shami's readiness for international cricket. His potential return to the Test squad is now uncertain, with ongoing discussions about his inclusion in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

This especially raises doubts considering some reports previously said that BCCI have given out an ultimatum to Mohammed Shami saying he needs to regain fitness and lose weight if he wants to come back to the India team squad.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh's win over Bengal was fueled by Rajat Patidar's aggressive 68 off 40 balls and Subhransu Senapati's 50 off 33 balls. Their partnership ensured MP chased Bengal's 189-run target with two balls to spare, maintaining their unbeaten record in Group A.