BCCI Sets Strict Fitness Guidelines For Mohammed Shami Ahead Of Team India Return

Mohammed Shami, a seasoned Indian fast bowler, is on a crucial journey to regain full fitness and rejoin the national cricket team. The BCCI has set stringent fitness standards for him as he aims for a comeback in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, according to a TOI report.

The guidelines focus on weight loss, building endurance, and reducing reliance on medical assistance. Selectors are closely monitoring his progress. Shami recently returned to competitive cricket by playing for Bengal in the Ranji Trophy after an ankle injury kept him sidelined.

Currently, Shami is participating in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) matches. These games serve as a temporary measure of his readiness. "The medical team feels he will start losing weight as he keeps playing matches, which will help build his endurance," said a source from BCCI quoted by TOI.

The BCCI's head of sports science, Nitin Patel, and National Cricket Academy trainer Nishant Bordoloi have crafted a plan for Shami's fitness. This regimen aims to ensure both short-term and long-term goals are met. His SMAT performances are under scrutiny as selectors consider the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy in February.

Bowling in brief T20 spells may not fully assess Shami's capability to handle the demands of a Test series. "To maintain intensity in a high-profile Test series is a different ball game," an anonymous BCCI source mentioned in the TOI report. "There is a chance he could be sent to train with Team India if he clears the SMAT challenge, but to play him will be a big call."

If Shami overcomes all challenges, he might join Team India for the third Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, starting December 14. However, the BCCI prioritises his long-term recovery over immediate returns.

In Shami's absence, India's pace attack has thrived with Jasprit Bumrah leading as stand-in captain alongside Mohammed Siraj and newcomer Harshit Rana. Their performance was instrumental in India's commanding 295-run victory during the first Test at Perth, providing selectors confidence in the team's depth.

"What one needs to see is when he can let go of the dependency on the BCCI's medical team, which is treating him after every spell he is bowling," said a BCCI source quoted by TOI.