Injured Shami doubtful for Bangladesh Test series: Report

New Delhi : Indian pacer Mohammed Shami, who is already out of the ongoing three-match ODI series due to injury, has not fully recovered from the right shoulder strain and is unlikely to be available for the Test series against Bangladesh.

Shami has been in the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru and reports from there are not encouraging for him.

According to a Cricbuzz report, the NCA staff will draw a roadmap for veteran bowler’s recovery and rehab. At this stage, there is no clear information on his comeback. The Indian team is already struggling in the ODIs in Bangladesh and the absence of Shami will be a big blow for the visitors ahead of the Test series.

The 32-year-old last played for India in the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia last month. He was initially part of the ODI squad for the Bangladesh series but had to be withdrawn and Umran Malik was named as his replacement.

However, it has been learnt that there is no immediate plan to rush in a replacement for Tests as more than 30 players are in Bangladesh, including those part of the India A squad. The Indian team will be free to retain any player if it wants.

The likes of Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur are part of the squad alongside the spinners Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. They will also be soon be joined by Saurabh Kumar, a left-arm spinner, who will come in place of an injured Ravindra Jadeja.

As far as the ODI squad is concerned, no replacement is being named for the three players — Kuldeep Sen, Deepak Chahar and Rohit Sharma — who are not unavailable for the third and final ODI on December 10, due to different injuries.

Siraj, Thakur and Umran are available for selection and the selection committee sources have said there is no immediate need for a replacement for a series that has already been lost, the report further said.

Meanwhile, skipper Rohit has arrived in Mumbai for scans following the thumb injury he sustained during the second ODI and a decision on his participation in the Tests will be taken in the next 24 hours.

If not for the first game, Rohit’s availability for the second and final Test will also be explored. Shubman Gill, a specialist opener, is part of the Test squad and can fill in alongside KL Rahul.