India will begin their campaign in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-2027 with a five-match tour of England, beginning on June 20 at Headingley, Leeds.
There has been much debate in the cricket community regarding what the Indian bowling assault might look like. The renowned Mohammed Shami may have to watch India’s tour of England from the sidelines if rumors are to be believed.
The Indian Express claims that because of concerns about the Bengal seamer’s capacity to bowl for extended periods of time, the selection committee, which is headed by Ajit Agarkar, is not willing to accept him. The Indian board has been notified by the BCCI medical team that the 34-year-old fast bowler will not be able to bowl for extended periods of time. Going forward, his chances of participating in all five Test matches are also slim.
Jasprit Bumrah has previously stated that he will not be able to participate in all five Test matches in England. Because it can cause problems for the team management while choosing the starting lineup, the selectors do not want another unreliable bowler to travel to the UK.
“Shami is bowling four overs in IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad, but the board and selectors don’t know whether he can bowl more than 10 overs in a day. Test matches in England may demand longer spells from the pacers, and we can’t take chances,” a source in the board was quoted as saying in the report.
The last time Shami played in a Test match was in the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval. Till now, he’s taken 229 wickets in 64 Tests, with an average of 27.71 per wicket. If Shami does not play in England, India will lack experience in a vital tour, because Ashwin, Virat and Rohit retired recently. When he gets into a good rhythm, the runner from Amroha can turn any match around.
Arshdeep Singh or Anshul Kamboj may be able to join the England tour in Shami’s place. The Punjab pacer played for Kent last season, giving him experience in county cricket. Kamboj, meanwhile, has already been chosen for the India A team’s two red-ball matches against the England Lions, which begin on May 30.
