This star Indian bowler has been out of the side since the ODI World Cup 2023 but is hoping to return to competitive cricket on Wednesday.
Team India have finally got some good news ahead of their first India vs Australia 2024 Test for the Border Gavaskar Trophy next week. Rohit Sharma’s side are heading into this five-match series after losing to New Zealand 3-0 at home.
With Rohit set to miss the first Test at Perth starting on November 22, pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be leading the side. But the Indian pace attack has been looking thin since the absence of fast bowler Mohammed Shami after the 2023 ODI World Cup.
Shami had sustained an ankle injury during the ODI World Cup last year and has not played competitive cricket since featuring in the final against Australia on November 19, which India lost by six wickets. Earlier in 2024, the 34-year-old underwent a surgery to treat his ankle injury.
However, in a big boost to the hopes of Indian cricket fans, Shami has now been selected for Bengal’s next Ranji Trophy 2024 match against Madhya Pradesh, which gets underway in Indore on Wednesday.
🚨 MOHAMMED SHAMI IS BACK…!!!! 🚨
– Mohammed Shami returns to the Ranji Trophy and he will play for Bengal tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/unpVURMxXo
— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) November 12, 2024
“In a major boost to Indian cricket and Bengal Ranji trophy team, star pacer Mohammed Shami will make a comeback into competitive cricket for Bengal against Madhya Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match in Indore starting on Wednesday. Shami’s inclusion in the Bengal Team will not just be a big boost but also lift the morale of the entire team, which aims to make it to the next round of Ranji Trophy,” a release from Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) read on Tuesday.
According to a report in Sportstar, Shami has not yet joined the team but Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla confirmed that he will arrive in Indore later on Tuesday and is set to feature in the game. Shami has also received the necessary clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
Speaking at an event in Gurgaon last month, Shami shared that he had returned to bowling at ‘100 per cent’ and was seeing positive results. However, he was not selected for Bengal’s squad in the next round of the Ranji Trophy, where they faced Karnataka.