Indian pacer Mohammed Shami who has been out of action for some time after 2023 ODI World Cup has strongly refuted rumours circulating about his exclusion from the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series. His clarification after media reports stated that his participation in the series is unlikely due to knee injury.
Expressing his frustation, he took to X and wrote, “Why these type of baseless rumors? I'm working hard and trying my level best to recover. Neither the BCCI nor me have mentioned that I am out of the Border Gavaskar series. I request the public to stop paying attention to such news from unofficial sources. Please stop and don't spread such fake fake fake & fake news, especially without my statement.”
Earlier, Jay Shah had confirmed that Shami is expected to be fit and make a comeback during the 5-match Test series against Australia later this year. The Men in Blue have outplayed their opponents in the last two Border Gavaskar Trophies in Australia and will be looking to continue the trend this time around.
In August, PTI had reported that Shami is expected to return to competitive cricket with his domestic team, Bengal, in the upcoming Ranji Trophy. He may also be in line for an international return in one of the Test matches against New Zealand. Sources indicate that Shami could feature in one or both of Bengal's opening matches against Uttar Pradesh on October 11 and Bihar on October 18.
The 34-year-old hinted at the possibility of playing domestic matches before making his international return.. “If I need to play domestic cricket to test my fitness, I will. What matters most is that I am fully ready for whatever comes next, regardless of the opposition or format," Shami said.
The Border-Gavaskar series between India and Australia is set to kick off on November 22, with the first Test taking place in Perth. The second Test will be held at Adelaide Oval from December 6 to 10, featuring the thrilling day-night format. Following that, the action moves to The Gabba in Brisbane for the third Test, scheduled for December 14 to 18.
The series will continue with the traditional Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground from December 26 to 30. Finally, the fifth and concluding Test will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 3 to 7, promising an exciting finish to the series.
(With inputs from agencies)
