Medical team travelling with him monitors weight, timeline of another 10 days to judge fitness
NEW DELHI: As Indian cricket holds its breath over Mohammed Shami‘s fitness, TOI has learnt that the Indian cricket board’s (BCCI) medical team have a tentative timeline of another 10 days to infer if he is ready for international cricket.
Border-Gavaskar Trophy
Shami made his comeback in competitive cricket after a year in Ranji Trophy match for Bengal last week. While he came out of the match claiming seven wickets in two innings, it is learnt that the BCCI’s medical team has been travelling with him and is checking up on him after each spell.
TOI understands that the medical team and the selectors want to see how his body holds up after a round of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) matches. BCCI’s head of sports science Nitin Patel and National Cricket Academy (NCA) trainer Nishant Bordoloi have taken over Shami‘s training and recovery routine even when he is with the Bengal team.

One of the issues with Shami’s recovery is that he needs to shed a decent amount of weight that he put on during his recovery from an ankle surgery and then developing swollen knees last month.
“The Indian team management wanted him to ideally play a couple of first-class matches before taking a call on his participation in the five-Test series in Australia. Since the Ranji Trophy first leg is over, the first round of SMAT matches has been kept as a makeshift yardstick. The medical team feels he will start losing weight as he keeps playing matches that will help him build his endurance,” a BCCI source told TOI.

Patel and Bordoloi will be reaching Rajkot on Thursday where Shami will be with the Bengal for SMAT that begins on Nov 23. “Shami too has been very careful. His bowling skills are never in doubt. He is clocking 135 kmph and above consistently. But one needs to be seen is that when he can let go of the dependency on BCCI’s medical team which is treating him after every spell that he is bowling. They are checking if his knees are swelling up again,” the source added.
While there is speculation that Shami may be sent to Australia for the latter half of the tour, TOI understands that it won’t be a straightforward call for the selectors.
“Bowling two-over spells in T20 matches in SMAT isn’t the ideal parameter. To maintain intensity in high-profile Test series is a different ball game. There is a chance he could be sent to train with the Indian team if he clears the SMAT challenge but to play him will be a good call. The selectors are also wary about the ICC Champions Trophy in Feb,” the source said.