India captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday said he won't risk using Mohammed Shami in the ongoing Border Gavaskar series until the National Cricket Academy (NCA) are sure of his fitness. It is high time the NCA provides clarity on the pace bowler's fitness.
"It's high time somebody from NCA talks about him. Really, that's our National Cricket Academy where he is doing his rehab. Those guys are the ones who need to come up and give us some kind of update," Rohit said during the post-match press conference in Australia.
Following the pink ball Test in Adelaide, Rohit Sharma had revealed that Shami had developed swelling in his knees while playing in SMAT.
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Shami made his comeback from injury during the recently-concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and has also been named in Bengal's squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, starting Saturday.
"But look, I understand he's playing a lot of cricket back home. But there have been some complaints about his knee as well. So, the last thing you want is the player coming here and then pulling out in the middle of the game. You know what happens when that kind of thing happens.
"So, there's no way we want to take that chance. Unless we are not 100%, 200% sure, we are not going to take any risk," he added.
The 34-year-old Shami, who last played for India in the ODI World Cup final in November 2023, was forced into the long layoff due to an ankle injury that needed surgery.
Just before his much-anticipated comeback against New Zealand, he developed swelling in the knee, delaying his return.
Rohit said the door remains open for Shami if he is completely fit.
"Like I said in the last press conference, the door is open. If those guys at the NCA feel that he is okay to go and recover and play, we'll be happy to have him," said Rohit.
Last week a BCCI official had told PTI that Shami himself feels he is not ready to take the rigours of red ball cricket right now.
"The swelling seems to come and go. He himself is keen on playing more and more domestic cricket. He can then bowl at least three spells and 10 overs per game," the BCCI source had said.
