Rohit Sharma Says "Don't Want To Bring Mohammed Shami To Australia". Explains Why

15.10.2024 - 07:31 sports.ndtv.com

India's Test and ODI captain Rohit Sharma delivered a bitter piece of news on Tuesday as he addressed the media ahead of the first Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru.

Rohit, asked about the rehabilitation status of pacer Mohammed Shami, all but confirmed that the pacer would not be travelling with the team to Australia for the 5-match Border-Gavaskar Test series.

Shami has been away from cricketing duties since the 2023 ODI World Cup. On multiple occasions, the veteran pacer was touted to make his return but only encountered roadblocks.

Speaking to the reporters in Bengaluru, Rohit confirmed that he isn't keen to bring Shami to Australia for the Test series even if he is fit.

cricket India Cricket Team Rohit Sharma Mohammed Shami Australia New Zealand India

Indian cricket team fast bowler Mohammed Shami took to social media to react to not getting selected for the upcoming Test series against Australia. Shami has been missing in action since the ODI World Cup 2023 final after suffering an ankle injury in November. The pacer underwent surgery and completed his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) before his return was derailed by swelling in his knees. While Shami recently said that he has no pain in his knees anymore, the selectors decided to not include him for the much-anticipated series.

Australia Coach Calls Mohammed Shami's Absence "Big Loss" For India In Border-Gavaskar Trophy

Australia head coach Andrew McDonald has acknowledged that Mohammed Shami's absence is a big loss for India, but added his team won't take the pacers who replace him lightly during the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy series starting on November 22 in Perth, citing the Gabba Test win of the visitors' in 2021. Shami has been out of action since last year's ODI World Cup in India due to an achilles injury which needed surgery this year. But there's a possibility that Shami might join the Indian team for the second half of the Australia tour provided he proves his fitness and readiness in Bengal's last two Ranji Trophy matches at Bengaluru and Indore respectively.

"Senior Players Need To...": Ex-India Star Irfan Pathan Sends Warning To Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma And Co.

Following India's series defeat to New Zealand on home soil, former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan took to X to express both praise for New Zealand and concern for the Indian team's performance in the longer format. In his tweet, Pathan commended New Zealand's impressive achievement and emphasized the need for reflection and improvement within Team India. "Well done, New Zealand, on winning the series on Indian soil! For Team India, there's a lot to reflect on. Senior players need to step up and deliver in the ultimate format of the game. The next three months will be crucial for them."

Rohit Sharma's Bizarre Decision Involving Sarfaraz Khan In 2nd Test Called Out By Sanjay Manjrekar

The Indian cricket team is facing severe criticism after losing the Test series at home against New Zealand in Pune. The visiting side is 2-0 up after the first two Tests in the three-match series with a chance of clean sweep not being ruled out. This is the first time after 12 years that India have lost a Test series at home. The last time it happened MS Dhoni was still the captain of the Indian cricket team. The loss has also dented India's chances to qualify for the World Test Championship final.

Mohammed Shami Can Still Be Added To India Squad For Australia Tour, But On This Condition

There was no place in the squad for pacer Mohammed Shami as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced Team India's squad for the upcoming Test tour of Australia. With the series comprising of five-matches, stretching between November 2024 and January 2025, the BCCI named a strong 18-man squad, in addition to three travelling reserves. All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and pacer Harshit Rana received maiden call-ups. India captain Rohit Sharma is expected to miss one of the first two Tests due to personal reasons.

Watch: Rohit Sharma Draws Criticism For Dropping Sitter. Ravichandran Ashwin's Reaction Says It All

India captain Rohit Sharma has come under fierce criticism over his captaincy in the ongoing three-match Test series against New Zealand. In the ongoing second Test in Pune, several former cricketers questioned Rohit over his tactics, especially the field placements, as New Zealand scored quick runs to increase their lead over 300 runs on Day 2. Rohit was on the receiving end of some heavy criticism on Day 3 after he dropped an easy catch in the morning session.