Mohammed Shami Set for Ranji Trophy Return, Boosting India's Hopes for Australia Test Series

India's head coach, Gautam Gambhir, and captain, Rohit Sharma, were relieved when they heard that fast bowler Mohammed Shami is ready to return to competitive cricket. Shami, who has been out for almost a year, will play his first match in the ongoing Ranji Trophy on Wednesday.

He will represent Bengal in an Elite Group C match against Madhya Pradesh in Indore.

The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) confirmed Shami’s return.

Although Shami had not reached Indore by Tuesday, Bengal’s coach, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, confirmed that he would arrive later that day.

Shami also received clearance from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to play in this match.

Shami’s Return Is a Big Boost for India

Shami’s return is a major relief for India. He has been out since the 2023 ODI World Cup final because of an ankle injury.

He had surgery in February and has been recovering at the NCA in Bengaluru. Shami was expected to return for the Test series against New Zealand last month. But a knee problem delayed his comeback.

Shami was also supposed to play in Bengal’s Ranji Trophy match against Karnataka, but he was ruled out due to a side strain.

This ruled him out of the Test series against Australia. However, now that Shami is back playing in the Ranji Trophy, his fitness will be closely watched by the Indian team.

If he performs well, he could be included in the squad for the upcoming Test series in Australia, which starts on November 22 in Perth.