Shami's Exclusion from BGT: Experts Raise Alarm Bells
Cricket News: The issue of not selecting Mohammed Shami in BGT (Border-Gavaskar Trophy) is now getting heated. Former Indian team coach Ravi Shastri and former Australian captain Ricky Ponting have questioned the injury management of fast bowler Mohammed Shami.
India and Australia veterans said in the ICC review, 'If Mohammed Shami was included in the team in the last round of the 5-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India could have had the upper hand. Instead of playing BGT, Mohammed Shami took 7 wickets in a match of the Ranji Trophy with an economy of 3.6. Mohammed Shami took 11 wickets in 9 matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with an economy of 7.85. Currently he is playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Australia won the Sydney Test by six wickets and won the series 3-1. At the same time, Team India lost the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after 10 years. Shami is trying to recover from an ankle injury at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Mohammed Shami had performed impressively for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy (multi-day), Syed Mushtaq Ali (T20), and Vijay Hazare Trophy (ODI), which raised hopes of his return to the Indian team, but the BCCI medical team had ruled out Shami's return from the Melbourne Test, citing knee swelling.
Former Indian coach Shastri said, 'To be honest, I was very surprised by the things going on in the media about what really happened to Mohammed Shami.' He said, 'Where is he when it comes to being fit? I don't know how long he has been at the NCA (Indian Cricket Academy). There could have been proper communication about his condition. If I had to decide, I would have brought him to Australia. If he had been there, we could have turned the result of the Melbourne and Sydney Tests in our favor.'
Former Australian captain Ponting said, 'I really wonder why he was not included in the team in the middle of the series. Even if he bowled fewer overs, he could have made a difference.' Ponting said, 'When you asked me in the beginning (in the last ICC review) what would be the result of the series, I said that Australia would win 3-1, because Shami is not in the Indian team. If Shami, Bumrah, and Siraj were in their starting team, I think the result could have been different.' Do you agree with Ricky Ponting and Ravi Shastri that if Mohammed Shami had been there, India would have won BGT?