Mohammed Shami will be missed in SA Tests, but it's a great opportunity for Prasidh and Mukesh: Wasim Jaffer

India's ODI World Cup hero Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa owing to an ankle injury. As per former cricketer Wasim Jaffer, the Rohit Sharma-led side will miss the services of the ace pacer but also added that it’s a great opportunity for the likes of Prasidh Krishna and Mukesh Kumar to show their calibre and cement their place in the playing XI.

Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur remains the favourite to play as the third seamer alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. However, Jaffer believes that the team management might go ahead with either Prasidh or Mukesh as they are the future of India’s pace unit. 

“Shami will be missed big time in SA Tests, but it's a great opportunity for Prasidh & Mukesh to show that they're the future of Indian fast bowling. Can't ask for a better place to bowl than South Africa. Who are you picking as the third seamer between these two?,” Jaffer wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Senior cricketers are set to make their return

After a heartbreaking defeat at the hands of Australia in the finals of the ODI World Cup in India, the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah took a break from cricket. All four of the cricketers are now set to make their return and will feature in the first Test against the Proteas in Centurion.

Notably, former skipper Virat Kohli left South Africa earlier in the week and returned on December 24 (Sunday). He immediately joined the rest of the team for practice and will be a key asset for India in the upcoming series. The team failed to win the Test series under his leadership in 2022 and following which, he shockingly announced to step down as the red-ball captain. Hence, he has a point to prove this time around, especially because India has never won a Test series in South Africa in history.