Entering the new year, Team India deals with a pair of setbacks. Mohammed Shami and Suryakumar Yadav top the list. These players aren’t nearing a competitive return due to challenging injuries.
Mohammed Shami is said to have played the entire 2023 ODI World Cup with an ankle issue. He needed treatment once the cup wrapped up. He skipped the full South Africa tour after seeing a specialist in Mumbai. Based on an Indian Express account, it appears Mohammed Shami won’t play the first two home series tests versus England. They start January 25 in Hyderabad.
In the subcontinent’s five-match Test series, not just spinners, but pacers need attention too. Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj take a break from the next T20I series against Afghanistan. Players like Prasidh Krishna and Mukesh Kumar who showed their skills in South Africa, join the Test squad, adding to the pace.
“Shami hasn’t even started to bowl, he will have to go to NCA and prove his fitness. He looks doubtful for the first two Tests against England,” a source in the Indian board told the Indian Express.
Suryakumar Yadav may undergo surgery abroad, BCCI likely to approve
During the last T20I against South Africa at the Wanderers, Suryakumar Yadav hurt his ankle. As a result, he won’t be in the squad for the next series against Afghanistan, starting January 11.
On top of that, the top-ranked T20I batter, he also has a hernia. He’ll need an operation. The BCCI medical team is keeping a close watch on Suryakumar Yadav. Reports suggest that he might have his surgery overseas.
“In Yadav’s case he will take more time than expected. After his hernia operation it might take up to eight-nine weeks for him to start training. Hopefully he will be fit during the IPL,” the source said
Many didn’t anticipate Suryakumar Yadav to participate in the Test matches with England. It appears, for him, the appropriate comeback platform is the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL). This sets him up effectively for the June 2024 T20 World Cup.