Delhi: Indian captain Rohit Sharma has made it clear that the team management will take the risk of including Mohammed Shami in the team only when they are 200 percent sure about his fitness. Rohit said that the final decision regarding Shami’s fitness depends on the opinion of BCCI’s Excellence Center (formerly NCA), which is continuously monitoring him.
AUS vs IND: Gabba Test washed out due to rain, after the third match both teams are tied at 1-1 in the series.
In the press conference after the Gaba test, Rohit said, “Now NCA should clarify something about this, because Shami is rehabbing there. I know he has played a lot of domestic cricket, but he still has a problem with his knee, until we are completely sure, we cannot take any chances.”
Rohit also said that the doors of the team are open for all players. He said, “If Shami is considered fully fit based on the NCA report, we will be happy to include him in the team.”
Let us tell you that Shami has been kept under observation in NCA after ankle surgery in February. He was about to make a comeback in the Test series against Bangladesh or New Zealand, but his return was postponed due to knee swelling. After this, BCCI has taken more caution regarding his fitness.
Recently Shami has played first-class matches and 9 T20 matches of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) for Bengal. NCA chief Nitin Patel is constantly monitoring his progress. Even during SMAT, swelling was seen in his knee, which Rohit had mentioned after the defeat in Adelaide. Shami’s name has now been included in the Bengal team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which will start from December 21.