The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the Indian ODI and T20 teams for the Australia tour. This tour holds significant importance for Indian cricket as the team will feature several changes. Shubman Gill will lead the ODI team in place of Rohit Sharma. Key players like Ravindra Jadeja will not be part of the squad. Furthermore, another prominent player will be missing from this tour, leading to questions about their future. This player has been excluded from two consecutive major tours, raising serious doubts.
Questions are being raised about the international career of star Indian fast bowler Mohammad Shami. Shami’s name is not included in the Indian team selected for the Australia tour. This marks the second major instance where the experienced bowler has been overlooked. Previously, he was also omitted from the Test team for the England tour. Shami has not played a Test match for India in the last 2 years, and his last T20 match was in February 2025. The Champions Trophy 2025 final was his last international appearance.
Shami has been sidelined from cricket due to injuries and fitness issues. He has been struggling with injuries since the 2023 World Cup. Despite a remarkable comeback after his injury, proving his fitness in domestic cricket, he was not included in the team. He was the highest wicket-taker for India in the Champions Trophy 2025 held in February-March this year. Subsequently, he participated in the IPL. However, he has been away from the field since then. The absence of a chance for Shami, who is 35 years old, is considered a major threat to his career.
Mohammad Shami’s fitness has been under scrutiny recently. However, Shami recently provided an update on his fitness, stating that he was ready to play. In an interview in August, he mentioned, ‘I was called to Bengaluru and I passed the fitness test (Bronco) and now I am ready to play.’ Despite this, he has failed to secure a place in the team. It appears that getting chances in the future will be challenging.
