Mohammed Shami advised six weeks rest after fractured arm; to fly out of Australia

Mohammed Shami, the Indian fast bowler, has been advised rest for six weeks after he fractured his bowling arm during the first Day-Night Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval. The speedster sustained the injury after being hit on the arm by a delivery from Pat Cummins. Shami had a retire hurt in the second innings as India ended their innings on a meagre 36.

The injury was grave enough to rule him out of the remaining three Tests in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Scans revealed that he had fractured his forearm. The pacer is set to fly back to India on Wednesday, December 23 and will undergo a brief quarantine upon reaching his home country.

Mohammed Shami to gain fitness before England series

“Shami has been advised six weeks of rest and he will be leaving for India on Wednesday,” a source was quoted as saying in The Statesman. Shami is expected to gain full fitness by the end of January and should be available for selection in India’s home series against England that starts on February 5 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

In the meantime, ahead of the MCG Test, which starts on December 26, India have plenty of reasons to worry about. Ishant Sharma, their premier fast bowler, couldn’t make the cut for the Tests after he sustained an injury during the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League.

Umesh Yadav isn’t in the best of rhythms either. In Shami’s place, Mohammed Siraj is likely to be included in India’s playing eleven for the Boxing Day Test. Back in 2018-19 during India’s tour of Australia, Shami was one of their key fast bowlers, picking up 16 out of the 48 wickets.

In 2018, the bowling trio of Shami, Ishant and Jasprit Bumrah picked up a total of 136 wickets together and broke the record of Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, and Joel Garner, who had a tally of 130 wickets back in 1984.

As far as India’s ongoing series is concerned, the hosts are leading by 1-0 after the eight-wicket victory in the pink-ball Test. Apart from Shami, India also won’t be having their regular skipper Virat Kohli. Ajinkya Rahane would be leading the team in his absence.