Team India's Door Are Open For Mohammed Shami But...: Rohit Sharma On Pacer's Return

Indian captain Rohit Sharma recently discussed Mohammed Shami's potential return to international cricket. Shami has been absent from the national team since the 2023 ODI World Cup. Although he is active in domestic matches, he hasn't yet rejoined the national squad for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

After India's significant defeat in the second Test at Adelaide, Rohit addressed Shami's fitness concerns. He mentioned that Shami has developed knee swelling again. "We are just monitoring him because while playing Syed Mushtaq Ali, he got some swelling in his knee, which hampers his preparation to come and play a Test match. We want to be very careful, we don't want to bring him here, he pulls up sore or something happens," Rohit stated during a press conference.

Shami's Fitness Concerns

Rohit emphasised that they are cautious about Shami's return and do not wish to rush him back into action. "We want to be more than 100% sure with him because it has been a long time. We don't want to put pressure on him to come here and do the job for the team. There are some professionals monitoring, we will take a call based on what those guys feel," Rohit added.

The Indian captain also noted that experts are closely observing Shami's performance in domestic games. "They are the ones watching him every game, how he pulls up after the game, after bowling four overs, standing for 20 overs. But the door is open for him to come and play anytime," Rohit explained.

Shami's Domestic Performance

Shami had previously suffered an ankle injury last year which required surgery. This kept him out of action for nearly a year. He made his comeback during Bengal's fifth round of the Ranji Trophy and is currently participating in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

He is set to play in the pre-quarterfinals against Chandigarh on December 9. His performance and fitness will be under close scrutiny by BCCI medical staff and physios if there's a need to fly him to Australia for further matches.

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is currently tied at 1-1 following India's loss in Adelaide. The team's management remains hopeful about Shami's return but prioritises his health above all else.