Ajit Agarkar Announces Mohammad Shami’s Anticipated Return to International Cricket

Tags: India,
Ajit Bhalchandra Agarkar,
Mohammed Shami Ahmed

Published on: Jul 25, 2024

Ajit Agarkar, India’s chief cricket selector, has discussed the potential return of Mohammad Shami, the premier fast bowler, to action. Shami has been sidelined since the ODI World Cup 2023 final in November but is now on track for a possible return during the two-match Test series against Bangladesh at home in September 2024.

Shami is currently working on regaining full fitness at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. With the first Test against Bangladesh scheduled to start on September 19, Agarkar expressed hope that Shami could make a comeback by then. The chief selector mentioned that Shami has resumed training and begun bowling again, indicating positive progress.

Ajit Agarkar Announces Mohammad Shami's Anticipated Return to International Cricket

However, Agarkar emphasized that Shami’s selection for the Test series would depend on his performance in the lead-up and ongoing assessments from the NCA. He stated, “We more or less know who the guys are, there are some injuries at the moment and hope they will be back up. Shami has started to bowl which is a good sign. The first test against Bangladesh is on September 19. That was always the goal (he was making a comeback by that time). I don’t know if that is his timeline for recovery. Whether he can make it back to the squad by that time, I’ll have to speak with the guys at the NCA about that.”

Agarkar also highlighted the importance of depth in the bowling department, noting that Team India is scheduled to play 10 Test matches before the WTC 2023-25 final. He emphasized the need to groom young players during first-class games to bolster the bowling strength. While Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Shami are the first-choice pacers, Agarkar stated that it is crucial to have more backups for the future. He concluded, “There are so many Tests coming. We will need some depth. Bumrah, Shami, Siraj have been around for a while, these are the obvious ones. But there will be some conversation around it. Got a lot of first-class cricket coming up so we can build guys up like that.”

In other news, Mohammad Shami has recently been involved in controversy for his remarks on the Pakistan cricket team’s struggles, particularly criticizing former Pakistan chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq. Shami’s comments about Inzamam’s nephew, Imam-ul-Haq, have led to backlash from former Pakistan cricketers, who have criticized Shami for his remarks.