Follow UsWith only a few days left before the BCCI announces Indian squad for the much-anticipated five-match Test series against England, there are reports that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) have decided to move on from Mohammed Shami, with the pacer’s fitness being the prime reason for that.
The BCCI’s medical team has reportedly conveyed that the 34-year-old isn’t ready to bowl extended spells, and his availability for all five Tests remains uncertain. This development comes at a time when Jasprit Bumrah has informed the board of his inability to play all five matches due to workload concerns.
“Shami is bowling four overs in IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but the board and selectors don’t know whether he can bowl more than 10 overs in a day. Test matches in England may demand longer spells from the pacers, and we can’t take chances,” a source in the board told the Indian Express.
Shami last featured in the red-ball format during the World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval in 2023. Since then, an ankle injury had sidelined him for more than a year. He returned to competitive cricket through the T20 format earlier this year and was also part of the 2025 Champions Trophy squad.
His possible absence opens the door for left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh, who has the experience of playing in England during his county stint with Kent last season. Meanwhile, right-arm seamer Anshul Kamboj, who boasts 74 wickets from 22 first-class games, is also being closely watched after the selectors picked him in the India A squad tour of England.