BCCI awaiting Sports Science Department’s approval before sending Mohammed Shami to Australia

New Delhi: The BCCI is awaiting final approval from the Sports Science Department at the Centre of Excellence regarding Mohammed Shami’s fitness before sending him to Australia for the remainder of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, as reported by Cricbuzz. The board aims to ensure that the decision is fully vetted and won’t jeopardize his fitness.

Nitin Patel, head of the BCCI’s Sports Science wing at the new Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, along with trainer Nishant Bardule and selector SS Das, have been stationed in Rajkot to monitor Mohammed Shami, who is set to play all of Bengal’s group stage matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

The BCCI has tasked Nitin Patel and his team with assessing whether Mohammed Shami can handle the physical demands of a high-intensity Test match, should he be called up to join the Indian team in Australia.

Trainer Nishant Bardule worked with Mohammed Shami until Saturday, November 30, before leaving Rajkot, leaving behind drills for Shami to follow. However, Nitin Patel has remained in Rajkot with selector SS Das. The BCCI will not proceed with selecting Shami for the Australian tour until the Sports Science Department gives its approval.

While T20 performances may not directly reflect readiness for Tests, the main focus is on assessing whether Shami can handle the workload of a Test match, rather than evaluating his pace, form, or rhythm. The belief is that T20s are intense enough to gauge a player’s fitness and endurance.

Mohammed Shami has played four matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy so far, taking 1/46 against Punjab, 3/21 against Hyderabad, and failing to take wickets against Mizoram and Madhya Pradesh. Prior to this, he featured in a four-day Ranji match against Madhya Pradesh in Indore, where he claimed 4/54 and 3/102 in both innings.