Mohammed Shami fuels Perth Test excitement with blazing 4-wicket rampage in electrifying Ranji Trophy comeback

After a wicketless Day 1 in Indore, where he bowled 10 overs after the hosts folded Bengal for just 228, Shami roared back to form, picking four wickets before the stroke of Lunch on Day 2. He finished with 4 for 54 , with 10 maiden overs as he led Bengal’s stunning recovery in the match to fold Madhya Pradesh for just 167.

The most important aspect of Shami’s bowling was that he bowled 19 of Bengal’s 59 overs, the most by any bowler in the match so far. This implies that he is ready to bowl for long hours, thus showing India a happy sign of his fitness ahead of a possible return to international cricket in the Test series against Australia.

Shami set for return in Australia?

Shami, who had been nursing from an ankle injury incurred during the 2023 ODI World Cup final last year in November, was expected to return in the Test series against New Zealand last month. However, the senior India bowler suffered a swollen knee during his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. He later, he reportedly suffered from a side strain, which further delayed his chances of making an international return as he was not named for the Border-Gavaskar Test series.

However, with Shami’s inclusion in the Bengal match against Madhya Pradesh, where he picked up four wickets in the opening innings, he might be on the verge of taking the next flight to Perth, which will host the Australia series opener on November 22.

It is yet to be seen if BCCI would rush into their decision on Shami and take him to Perth right after the Madhya Pradesh match or will test him for another game, scheduled to be played on November 23 in Chandigarh, implying that he could only be available from the second Test match onwards.