Big blow to India ahead of Border-Gavaskar Trophy, star pacer doubtful after knee injury

Indian cricket fans are eagerly anticipating the highly-anticipated return of pacer Mohammed Shami, who has been sidelined due to a knee injury. Following a remarkable performance in the ODI World Cup 2023, Shami underwent surgery for his injury and has been in the process of recovery ever since. It was initially expected that the star pacer would make his comeback during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia in November of this year. However, a recent setback has caused concern among fans.

According to a report from the Times of India, Shami has experienced swelling in his knee, which is projected to require an additional six to eight weeks to fully heal. This development has cast doubt on his participation in the upcoming five-match Test series against Australia.

"Shami had resumed bowling, and he was looking on track to make a comeback to competitive cricket soon. But this knee injury has flared up recently. BCCI's medical team is assessing the injury, but it may require quite a bit of time," TOI quoted a BCCI source.

"It's a jolt for the NCA medical team. They have been working on him for over a year. They have one of the best workload management systems in place. The medical team is trying its best to put him back in the park soon."

In early September, Shami announced his dedication to making a swift return to the field for Team India.

"Koshish jaldi hi kar raha hoon kyun ke main janta hoon kaafi time ho gaya hai team se bahar rehte hue (I am working hard to make a comeback soon because I know I have been out of action for quite some time). However, I want to ensure there is no discomfort when I return. I've to work on my fitness, so that there is no discomfort," Shami had said.

"The stronger I return, the better it is for me. I don't want to rush and risk getting injured again, be it against Bangladesh, New Zealand or the Australia series. I've already started bowling, but I won't take any chances until I am 100% fit," he added.

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