Mohammed Shami's Participation in England Tests Uncertain
Shami's Fitness Concerns Ahead of England Tour
Mohammed Shami, India's experienced fast bowler, is reportedly not expected to travel to England for the crucial five-Test series starting June 20 at Headingley, as per reports from a sports news outlet.
Although Shami is fit to play for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, he has not accumulated the necessary workload to meet the rigorous demands of Test cricket. His last red-ball match for India was during the World Test Championship final against Australia in 2023.
A member of the medical team from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) visited Lucknow this week to evaluate Shami's fitness prior to Hyderabad's match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday.
Awaiting Medical Clearance from BCCI
It remains unclear whether the selectors have decided to exclude Shami from the series. However, it seems likely they will err on the side of caution and drop him unless they receive a positive medical report.
The 34-year-old has been sidelined for over a year due to an ankle injury. After successfully recovering from surgery in February 2024, he began experiencing pain in his right knee, for which he is currently undergoing treatment.
Last year, Shami made his return to domestic cricket, participating in the Ranji Trophy for Bengal, where he had a successful outing, taking seven wickets against Madhya Pradesh. There were speculations about his comeback during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, but he did not feature in the series.
Shami's IPL Performance and Future Prospects
In 2025, Shami was tasked with bowling with the new ball for India across all formats. He played a key role in the title-winning Champions Trophy earlier this year, finishing as one of the top wicket-takers.
In the ongoing IPL 2025, Shami has played 13 group-stage matches, claiming six wickets at an average of 56.16 and an economy rate of 11.23. Should the selectors choose not to include him, there are several alternatives available.
Potential replacements for the England tour include Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Yash Dayal, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed, and Harshit Rana.