'Shami Should've Played In Australia'- Ravi Shastri

Former Indian Cricket & coach Ravi Shastri isn't happy with the way Mohammed Shami's injury saga was handled by the team management. Shastri questioned the way the team management and the captain handled the fitness of Mohammed Shami. He also stated that he would've taken him to Australia and would've monitored him in front of his eyes.

Shami had a dream in the 2023 ODI World Cup at home picking up wickets for fun (24) in 8 matches. Later it was revealed that Shami played the entire World Cup with a heel injury for which he later had to go for surgery. Shami was operated on the injured area in February last year. This kept Shami out of the IPL and other tournaments. Shami made a storming comeback to the game via the domestic season playing in the SMAT for Bengal & three rounds of the Ranji Trophy. Still, the veteran Indian pacer didn't get the fitness clearance from the NCA & was then eventually ruled out of the series after he had a swelling in his knee.

Shastri on Shami

"I would have taken him to Australia & would've continued his rehabilitation there, if the reports came that he isn't fit then I would've sent him home'.

"But I would've made sure that he was in that first flight to Australia, I would've had him treated with the best physios internationally that were there in Australia, but I would've taken him to the loop" he added.

Shastri Surprised on Shami's Injury Saga

"To be very honest I was surprised with the way these talks went on, I mean there was no clear communication in the media, there was no information of Shami's whereabouts, that guy has been in the NCA, why there was no clear message conveyed to him?"

Shastri felt that Shami's presence would've lightened the workload of Jasprit Bumrah who bowled as many as 151.2 overs picking up 32 wickets at an average of 13.02. Bumrah had to toil hard to get wickets. This workload had the better of him in the final test at the SCG as he got back spasms that prevented him from taking the field on the final day of the series

"The series got to a tight juncture at Melbourne with 1-1 being the scoreline, Shami's presence would've been a big boost to the team & could've raised the bar in terms of quality bowling''.

"In the opposite camp Pat Cummins couldn't have done it all alone he had Starc & Scot Boland who shared the duties with him, we all know how hard Mohammed Siraj & Akash Deep tried but we needed the experience of Shami" Shastri added.

Ponting Agrees To Shastri's Comments

Former Australian player & captain Ricky Ponting also agreed to Shastri's statements and stated that the series could've been different had Shami played alongside Siraj & Bumrah.

"I was perplexed when I heard that Shami wasn't called even on the midway of the tour with 2 matches left, Team India had the services of Nitish Reddy, he could've been a backup bowler for him when needed''

"So even if Shami wasn't fully fit if he had to bowl fewer overs in a day, you had a backup seam bowling option to help him out and I think he could have been the difference," Ponting quipped.