"If everything goes well, you might see him here as well" - Jasprit Bumrah on Mohammed Shami's possible return ahead of 1st BGT 2024-25 Test
Team India skipper Jasprit Bumrah has hinted at ace pacer Mohammed Shami's return to the side at some point during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. India and Australia are set to battle over five Tests until the first week of January, starting in Perth tomorrow (Friday, November 22).
Shami has been out of action for India since the 2023 ODI World Cup due to an ankle injury that required surgery and rehabilitation. However, the 34-year-old made a sensational return to competitive cricket by picking up seven wickets for Bengal in their Ranji Trophy outing against Madhya Pradesh.
Set to lead the side in place of regular skipper Rohit Sharma in the opening Test, Bumrah spoke about the playing XI for the series opener against Australia and Shami's return on the eve of the match. Bumrah said (via RevSportz Global on X):
"We have finalized our combination. You'll come to know it tomorrow. Shami has been an integral part and the management is keeping a close eye. If everything goes well, you might see him here as well."
Bumrah also expressed confidence in the team's preparation for tackling a possibly spicy Perth wicket.
"We are prepared. We came in early and trained at the WACA. We knew it was going to be a spicy wicket and we have prepared according to that. When we came here for the first time, we did well so the onus is on the youngsters to take up the responsibility as well," Bumrah added.
Bumrah has captained India only once in Tests - the fifth and final Test against England in Edgbaston in 2022. Despite dominating much of that contest, India suffered a seven-wicket loss, as the hosts successfully chased down 378.
"We are not carrying any baggage" - Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah asserted that the team will not carry any unwanted baggage despite coming off a shocking home Test series loss to New Zealand.
Rohit Sharma's men were stunned 3-0 by the Black Caps, leaving India with their first home Test series defeat since 2012-13. It was also their first home Test whitewash in a series with more than two games.
"Beauty of cricket is that if you win or lose, you start from zero. We are not carrying any baggage," Bumrah said (via RevSportz Global on X).
Despite the recent setback, India can derive confidence from their domination of Australia in bilateral Test series over the past decade.
The Asian giants have defeated the mighty Aussies in the previous four bilateral Test series meetings, including winning back-to-back affairs in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21.