Star pacer Mohammed Shami has developed an ankle condition, which currently requires medical attention, as the Indian team management will hope that he regains fitness in time for the first Test against South Africa starting from December 26 at Centurion. Shami's name has been kept in the Test squad with a star mark and the BCCI media release stated that he "is currently undergoing medical treatment and his availability is subject to fitness." However, there was no specific information on the nature of the injury as to whether he suffered it on the field or more fitness related. But it has been learnt that Shami was in Mumbai to consult a sports orthopaedic to diagnose his ankle condition.
"It is not exactly an on-field injury. It is an ankle condition that has developed. Shami came to Mumbai to consult the doctors. He will also go to NCA for rehab and recuperation work.
"The national selectors wouldn't have selected him had there not been a chance of him getting fit in time for the Boxing Day Test," a BCCI source, privy to the development, told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
Shami didn't appear in the first four matches of the recent ODI World Cup due to the team composition requirements.
He got a chance to play in the fifth match after Hardik Pandya tore his left ankle ligament trying to stop a powerful shot on his follow-through in the match against Bangladesh.
Shami ended up getting 24 wickets in seven games and was one of the biggest reasons behind India's sustained dominance for 10 straight games in the showpiece before losing the final to Australia.
"Shami, in fact, came to watch one of Bengal's Vijay Hazare Trophy games as his younger brother Mohammed Kaif is also playing. He seemed to be walking with a slight
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