Decoding the Mohammed Shami T20 jinx

It was puzzling that the pacer was selected for the T20Is vs Aus & SA, but was only among the reserves in the WC squad. Now, an untimely positive Covid test has ruled him out of the Australia T20Is...Mohammed Shami's T20 career seems to be seriously jinxed. He wasn't selected in the 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup, but found a place in the two stage-rehearsal series at home against Australia and South Africa starting September 20. Given the injury track-record of Indian pacers, a few good performances in these games might have opened up a slot for the 32-year-old, who was in the reserves if something went wrong with the chosen quintet for the World Cup.

Read AlsoIndia vs Australia: Umesh Yadav likely to replace Mohammed Shami

While Mohammed Shami's return to T20I has been delayed after being tested positive for Covid-19, Umesh Yadav is set to be back in white-ball cricket for India after three and half years.

But there's bad news in store for Shami. The senior pacer has tested Covid positive and has been ruled out of the Australia series. It's a huge blow for the paceman, but did the 32-year-old really deserve to be kept out of the 15 chosen for the World Cup? Now he only has the South Africa series to prove his credentials, provided he gets fit in time. It's true that Shami didn't have the best T20 World Cup in UAE last year. But bowling for champions Gujarat Titans in the IPL, Shami took 20 wickets at an economy rate of 8, which is less than his career economy-rate of 8.52 in the event.

"For me, Shami is a supreme white-ball bowler. It surprises me that he is not in the first 15 for the World Cup, especially in Australia," Chennai Super Kings bowling coach Lakshmipathy Balaji told TOI. "If given a chance, I