The mystery around Mohammed Shami is intriguing. Is he fit or not? Will he travel to Australia or won’t he? When will he get a fitness clearance from the NCA, which is the last requirement for the team management in Australia?
For the record, Shami has played multiple Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) matches in the last two weeks. In all of these games, he has bowled his quota of four overs, and in almost all of them, he was on the ground for the full 20 overs. So, on the face of it, his body is able to hold up. But does he still need physio support to get ready for the next game? Is that something that will worry the management in Australia, because bowling 4 overs in SMAT and bowling 15 in a day in Test match are like chalk and cheese? What are the realistic chances of seeing Shami in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT)?
Sources say he will join the team ahead of the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne only if things don’t go well for India in Brisbane. He could be given his fitness clearance in the next few days, and once that happens, he will be ready to travel. But all will depend on the Gabba Test. If India win in Brisbane, will Shami be called in? That’s the question we still don’t have an answer for.
While a plan seems to be in place, the intrigue surrounding the whole issue is puzzling. Shami himself had said to me at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) annual function in October that he would not be rushing himself back and would bide his time to be fully fit. While he was hopeful that he’d have a role to play in the BGT, at no point did he commit to a timeframe. Also, he said clearly that he had played the 2023 World Cup in pain.
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“The question I asked of myself was: will I break down or can I do the job for the team?” he said. “That’s what I asked the doctors. The World Cup was a massive opportunity to make a difference for the team and I was willing to do anything to be there for India.”
With Shami, he does have the pedigree, and he wouldn’t want to say anything or claim fitness if he isn’t ready. And the truth is, you can’t hide things in this day and age. If you aren’t fit, you will be caught out. If such a thing happens to a senior cricketer like Shami, it will inevitably dent his credibility.
Quality-wise, there is no debate about how important Shami is. And if the NCA clears him, it should be the end of the debate. On Monday as well, he bowled his four overs for Bengal, for 25 runs and a wicket. “No he did not feel any discomfort,” said someone from the Bengal camp on condition of anonymity. “He was in rhythm and he is consistently working on his fitness. Make no mistake, he can go.”
Having said that, it all depends on what happens in Brisbane. If things go to plan and India are able to get their mojo back, it could just be that Shami isn’t called upon. A reversal in Brisbane, and I see him on the flight to Australia for the Boxing Day Test.
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