Mohammed Shami could be available for selection ahead of India's do-or-die Australia tour after the ace pace-bowler made an impressive comeback from injury by grabbing four wickets in a Ranji Trophy match on Thursday.
Playing his first red-ball game in more than a year, Shami, who represents Bengal, bowled four spells across 57 overs in Madhya Pradesh's first innings and returned with figures of 19-4-54-4.
His victims included MP skipper Shubham Sharma, all-rounder Saransh Jain, and two tail-enders, with three of the four batters being bowled while one edged to keeper Wriddhiman Saha.
While this is great news for the Indian team, it is understood that the national selection committee will look at how his body holds up in the second innings at the Holkar Stadium in Indore before taking any decisions. More than the wickets he took on Thursday, the team management and national selection committee along with the BCCI's Sports Science & Medical Team want to check how his body holds up.
If he ticks all the boxes, it is almost assured that he will join forces with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah before the second Test, which will be a day/night affair.
The Ranji Trophy match ends on November 16 and he could join the squad before the first Test, beginning in Perth on November 22, news agency PTI said in a report.
Shami, who has not played a competitive game after the ODI World Cup final on November 19 last year, had undergone an ankle surgery. Just when he was about to return for the three-Test series against New Zealand, the senior fast bowler developed a swelling in his knee delaying his comeback.
It is understood that despite naming an 18-member squad for Australia, the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee and the team management would include Shami the moment the BCCI's head of Medical and Sports Science team, Dr Nitin Patel, declares him fit.
A Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) source told PTI that national selection committee member Ajay Ratra had specifically come along with NCA medical team head Patel to watch Shami bowl. Their feedback will be sent to chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar, captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Gautam Gambhir before a final call is taken.
