Mohammed Shami and Rohit Sharma at loggerheads? Reports claim

Australia turned up the heat in Adelaide, reminding India of its shortcomings in pink-ball contests. The Kangaroos defeated the visitors by 10 wickets in the second Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy to level the series 1-1. While India seemed flawless in Perth, where they kicked off the five-match series with a commanding 295-run win, the Adelaide Test brought the visitors back to reality. At the forefront of it all, India's struggle with the bat has become the focal point of discussions surrounding their loss in Adelaide. However, seemingly under the radar but equally crucial factor is the team's overdependence on Jasprit Bumrah in the bowling department. With India in the difficult position they now face, the team could greatly benefit from Mohammed Shami, provided the seasoned pacer is deemed fit to join the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

All is not well between Mohammed Shami and Rohit Sharma: Reports

Mohammed Shami has been on the edge of selection in the Indian team for a couple of months now. The seamer returned to the sport after a break of almost a year due to an ankle injury. However, Shami has made a positive comeback as he continues to play domestic tournaments for Bengal. Since his return from injury, Shami has participated in the Ranji Trophy and is now contributing to Bengal's campaign in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, which has reached the quarter-finals stage.

Despite his exploits in domestic tournaments, they are still not being counted adequately to validate his selection in the India squad for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. While it was reported that the seamer is awaiting final clearance from the NCA, a new update has added a controversial twist to the matter. A recent report has revealed that Mohammed Shami and Rohit Sharma engaged in a heated spat over the Indian skipper's comments about Shami's injury. The friction reportedly began when Rohit Sharma, ahead of the New Zealand home series, stated that Shami is dealing with knee issues, halting the process of his inclusion in the team.

However, the pacer had claimed that the reports about him suffering an additional injury were baseless. Apparently, the comments of Shami and the Indian captain stood in stark contrast to each other. Now, a recent report has alleged that Shami confronted Rohit Sharma over his statement, which claimed Shami was dealing with swelling in his knee. The duo met at the NCA camp in Bengaluru ahead of the first India vs New Zealand match, and that's when the altercation happened.

"When Shami was at NCA, he met Rohit during the 1st Test in Bengaluru. During their meeting, the two had a heated exchange over the captain's remark on Shami when asked about his current status and availability for the New Zealand and Australia Test series," the report quoted a source as saying.

More recently, Rohit Sharma talked about the return of Shami to the Indian team but remained hesitant to suggest a timeline. The Indian skipper explained that, amidst the injuries, the team is keen on not rushing the seamer into the series.

"We want to be more than 100 per cent sure with him because it has been a long time. We don't want to put pressure on him to come here and do the job for the team. There are some professionals monitoring, we will take a call based on what those guys feel. They are the ones watching him every game, how he pulls up after the game, after bowling four overs, standing for 20 overs. But the door is open for him to come and play anytime."