Last Updated:May 23, 2025, 08:20 IST
Mohammed Shami is unlikely to play in India’s five-Test series against England due to concerns over his ability to bowl long spells.
Mohammed Shami might not feature in India’s Test squad for England (Picture credit: AP)
In what can come as a major blow to India’s chances of putting up a respectable show in the upcoming five-Test series against England, star pacer Mohammed Shami has been rendered ‘unlikely’ for the tie, with his ability to bowl long spells a major concern at the moment, according to a report in The Indian Express.
BCCI’s medical team has informed them that Shami would not be able to bowl longer spells. Chances of him playing all five Tests are bleak as well, going ahead.
With ace India pacer and captaincy candidate Jasprit Bumrah also not expected to play five Tests due to workload management, India find themselves in troubled waters, even with more than 20 days to go for the series.
There were discussions over taking Shami besides the Indian side and playing him in a few matches. With Bumrah already informing BCCI that his body cannot take the toll of more than three Tests, the selection committee were known to be in a dilemma on whether to fly out with the former.
This dilemma of selecting or not selecting both Bumrah and Shami hampers the Indian team’s planning as well.
According to the report, selectors want fit bowlers flying with the Indian team, who can bowl longer spells if required.
“Shami is bowling four overs in IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but the board and selectors don’t know whether he can bowl more than 10 overs in a day. Tests in England may demand longer spells from the pacers, and we can’t take chances,” a source in BCCI told The Indian Express.
Shami’s last Test appearance came during the 2023 India vs Australia World Test Championship final at the Oval.
Shami’s possible omission can open up a slot for left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh or Haryana right-arm pacer Anshul Kamboj, who has 74 wickets from 22 first-class matches.
Arshdeep can be the dark horse given his county cricket experience last year, where he represented Kent.
In the third Test of India’s 2021 tour of England at Leeds, Shami had picked four wickets in the hosts’ first innings. This year, the first Test will be played at the venue, and he can be a major cog in the wheel.
Shami had undergone ankle surgery last year, which halted his cricket for another year. He made his comeback earlier in 2025 through T20s and was later part of the Champions Trophy as well.
Shami had missed key events for India, including the 2024 T20 World Cup in USA and the Windies and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia recently as well.
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News cricket Big Blow For India! Star Pacer To Miss England Tests Due To Workload Issue