Uncertain for BGT, Shami set to miss the Vijay Hazare Trophy opener

Mohammed Shami has put a pause on his domestic run as the seamer is set to miss the Vijay Hazare Trophy opener. The seasoned Indian pacer returned to the sport after a year spent recovering from an ankle injury. Bengal's Ranji Trophy fixture marked Shami's first match since playing the final of the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup. During the year-long gap, Shami underwent surgery for his ankle and completed his recovery at the NCA. While the seamer made a relatively impressive comeback, he is yet to gain the trust of the Indian management for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. With two fixtures remaining in the five-match series down under, India is likely to continue without the ace seamer in Melbourne and Sydney.

Mohammed Shami set to miss the opener of Vijay Hazare Trophy amidst debate about joining India in BGT

After joining the Bengal squad towards the concluding end of the Ranji Trophy, Shami had an unfazed run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Throughout the run of these domestic tournaments, eyes were on Shami to gauge his fitness for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. His return included an impressive seven-wicket haul, helping Bengal secure their first victory in the Ranji Trophy. He also showcased his form by claiming nine wickets in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. 

Despite these performances, there have been lingering concerns about swelling in his knee, an issue that surfaced during the domestic T20 tournament. NCA seems to unsure of Shami's capabilities to pull the hard yards against Australia just yet. Fielding persistent queries about the anticipated return of Shami in the Indian squad for the BGT, Rohit Sharma shifted the onus on NCA.

"I think it's high time somebody from NCA talks about him, where he is rehabbing... Those guys are the ones who need to come up and give us some kind of update,"Sharma said in the press conference after the Gabba Test recently. "I understand he's playing a lot of cricket back home, but there have been some complaints about his knee as well. We won't take any risks unless we are 200% sure about his fitness," he added.

Now, the update about Shami missing the Border Gavaskar Trophy entirely is nearly confirmed. As per the latest report, the seamer is set to miss the opening fixture of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Mohammed Shami will not feature in Bengal's clash against Delhi in the domestic 50-over tournament which starts on December 21 in Hyderabad. Meanwhile, India's net bowler in the series down under, Mukesh Kumar has returned to play the domestic series for Bengal.