Mohammed Shami, Rohit Sharma had heated exchange over India captain's remark on pacer's fitness: Reports
Mohammed Shami, expected to make a long-awaited return to international cricket in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, was involved in a heated exchange with India captain Rohit Sharma, as per Dainik Jagran (via Hindustan Times). The Bengal seamer has been playing domestic cricket recently following his return from injury.
Sharma was asked about Shami's availability and fitness in the post-match press conference after India's 10-wicket loss to Australia in the Adelaide Test on Sunday, December 8. He did not give too encouraging an answer for Indian fans to chew upon and instead, raised doubts on Shami's fitness.
"We are just monitoring him because while playing Syed Mushtaq Ali, he got some swelling in his knee, which hampers his preparation to come and play a Test match. We want to be very careful, we don't want to bring him here, he pulls up sore or something happens," Sharma said.
However, reports from the Dainik Jagran (via Hindustan Times) suggest that all is not well between Shami and the captain. The reports quote a source saying that Shami and Sharma had a heated exchange earlier this year after the first Test between India and New Zealand in Bengaluru.
"Right now, it is pretty difficult for us to make a call on whether he will be fit for this series or the Australia series. He recently had a setback - he had a swelling on his knee, which was quite unusual. He was in the process of getting fit - getting close to 100% - and he had a swelling in his knee. That put him back a little bit in his recovery, so he had to start again fresh," Sharma had said ahead of the Test against New Zealand in Bengaluru.
Reportedly, Shami did not like Sharma's comment, and the two got into a fiery exchange in Bengaluru. Shami reportedly felt that Sharma had exaggerated the injury situation and that he was, instead, fit and raring to go.
Mohammed Shami all but ruled out of Brisbane Test
Despite things not being all too smooth between Shami and Sharma, PTI (via Economic Times) report that the pacer is all but set to play the Melbourne Test. However, there is still little clarity on whether he will play the Brisbane Test, which starts on December 14.
The report adds that his playing kit has already been sent to Australia. The Boxing Day Test in Melbourne might mark Shami's return to international cricket for the first time since November 2023.