India fast bowler Mohammed Shami hasn't played international cricket since the ODI World Cup final last year which was played on November 19. He suffered a heel injury and after undergoing surgery, stayed away from competitive cricket for almost a year. He made his comeback in domestic cricket for Bengal playing one Ranji Trophy game sending down 43 overs.
He also featured in nine matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for his state team sending down a total of 35.3 overs and picking up 11 wickets. Even then, he hasn't received a call-up to join the India squad in Australia. On the contrary, Shami has been picked in the Bengal squad for the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, a domestic One-Day tournament. At the end of the third Test at the Gabba, when asked about Shami getting a call-up for the last two Tests in Australia, India skipper Rohit Sharma made it clear that the concerned members handling the pacer at the NCA are the best ones to give an update.
"About Shami, I think it's high time somebody from NCA talks about him, where he is rehabbing. Those guys are the ones who need to come up and give us some kind of update," Rohit said. Moreover, the Indian skipper also stated that there have been issues with Shami's knee ever since he made a comeback to competitive cricket.
"I understand he's playing a lot of cricket back home, but there have been some complaints about his knee as well. So, look, 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 is no way we want to take that chance unless we are like, not 100%, 200% sure, we're not going to take any risk. But yeah, 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," Rohit added.
