Indian cricket has a definite dearth of fast bowlers. But selecting an unfit player in Mohammed Shami in the hope that he’d fire on all cylinders in next month’s ICC World T20 championship is either taking a huge leap of faith or scraping the bottom of a barrel. Take your pick.
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Consider the facts: The last Test Shami played was in January last year (Vs Australia at SCG). His last ODI was in the World Cup, also against Australia and at the SCG last March. And his T20 international was against England in September 2014.India fast bowler Mohammad Shami has been ruled out of the Asia Cup 2016 and Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been named as his replacement. Shami was named in India’s squad for Asia Cup 2016 and ICC World T20 2016. He was also named in the squad for the tour of Australia, but he suffered a hamstring injury just ahead of the warm-up matches there. Shami has not played international cricket since India lost to Australia at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at the hands of Australia. India and Shami will hope that he returns for the ICC World T20 2016, which begins from March 8. India however play their first match in the competition much later. New Delhi: Pacer Mohammad Shami was yesterday ruled out of India's squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, raising doubts about his participation in the marqee ICC World Twenty20 that follows the continental tournament.
Seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been named as replacement for Shami by the selection committe.
After a long injury layoff, post last year's World Cup, Shami was recalled to the national squad for the tour Down Under, only to be ruled out again by a hamstring injury.
"The BCCI medical team confirms that Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of Asia Cup, 2016. The decision has been taken to give him more time to recover from the Grade II injury to his left hamstring," BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said in a statement.
